A Band's Revenge
by One Feather
Summary: Complete! Full summary inside. Evil, friendships, and romance. All as the bonds of time are tested and broken.
1. Conrad's Ickiness

Summary: Six best friends find themselves in the moors of Ireland on a long awaited band trip. Supposed to be filled with fun and romance, they find themselves very disappointed. Thrown in the middle of a war between their evil, greedy band instructor, and the forces of good that would stop her. Torn apart, they must go their seprate ways, and any hope for a blossoming romance seems lost. But during their unwanted adventures, the barrier between the ages of time is broken. New faces become dear, and old ones fade into distant memories. Together, yet so very far apart, they battle a foe that promises to devastate the world. Can a haggard band unite? Can love span centuries? Can the bonds of friendship survive over a distance of fourteen-hundred years? Most importantly, will all survive to see those bonds retied? The first faces: Cassie is a sophomore and plays clarinet. Abbe is a freshman and plays tenor sax. Ashley is a junior and grudgingly plays flute. ... As usual, they had the honour of arriving first. Too excited to wait with their parents in the mint green minivan, they leaped from the confining seat belts into the warm cold of the March weather. The wind blew like mad as they danced crazily to keep warm. The parents watched while talking quietly while Cassie, Abbe, and Ashley entertained themselves by pole dancing on one of the school's street lamps. Actually, it was only Cassie who did this. Her other two friends simply watched while cheering, laughing, and making various sounds of disgust. But this day was far too exciting to simply do one thing, so when Cassie's loosley tied shoe came off when she attempted a high kick, Abbe seized it and began running madly. Cassie got down from the lamp post and and hopped on one foot to the dry asphault sidewalk so she wouldn't get her sock dirty.  
"Guinievere! Help me!" Cassie called to Ashley. Ashley was called Guinievere by Cassie for very complicated and rather stupid reasons. But Ashley caught the shoe Abbe had tossed to her and began running with it. "Treason!" Cassie accused. and then muttered "Screw it." She quickly divested herself of her other shoe and socks and ran full tilt at Ashley while sounding a very loud battle cry. Ashley looked surprised and began to laugh. That sound got her every time. She quickly threw the shoe back to Abbe, and Cassie, not wanting to cause undeserved harm, had to swerve inches away from Ashley and begin her attack anew. Abbe, who had fully expected cassie to grab at the shoe stayed put and held her arm high above her head. What she did not expect was for Cassie to keep running and bowl her over so they both landed on the muddy grass. The shoe flew out of Abbe's hand, and Ashley snatched it up laughing triumphantly.  
Cassie brushed herself off and glared menacingly at her friend. "Give me the shoe Guinievere, or I shall see that you die at the hands of Mrs. Conrad?" She spoke in a mock threatening tone. Ashley grinned. All three of them loved to devise stories about their most "beloved" band instructor.  
"And how will she do me in this time? Will she stab me with her baton perhaps? Or maybe she'll put arsenic on my mouthpiece." Abbe, who was still on the ground shook her head.  
"No, she'll strangle you with those hideous sashy things we have to wear at the concerts."  
"Cummerbunds," Cassie said. "And what's worse, It'll be Knat Hale's cummerbund. If you want to die with something that's been around HIS midriff..."  
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" Ashley cried flinging the shoe at Cassie, who attempted to catch it. However, she didn't play any sports, and was very protective of her teeth, having had her braces off for less than a year. So she simply blocked it, it fell to her feet, and she bent to retrieve it. But she didn't put it back on. She was busy staring at the rather dirty car that was pulling into the parking lot.  
"Oh God," Abbe moaned. "Here comes the spawn of Hell herself." She was right. Mrs. Conrad, smiling broadly at the three of them was getting out of her car. Probably in honour of their trip to Ireland, she had dyed her hair a deep red. The three friends smirked at one another. Along with a lot of other things about Conrad, her "hair colour of the month" was a well known inside joke amongst their little group.  
"Hello girls! Tis good to see ye all here so early!" she said in a horribly mimed Irish accent." Cassie's mouth dropped open in disgust, while she plainly saw Abbe surpress a shudder next to her. Ashley however, didn't seem to notice. She was too busy staring in loathing at Conrad's filthy black shoes, her pants that went out of style two hundred years ago, and a rather hideous, bright green, satin blouse.  
"Oh my God," Ashley said as though nauseated. Fortunately, Conrad was unlocking the door to the gym lobby and humming "Molly Molone" very loudly.  
"Well, Come on Girls" she called, thankfully abandoning her accent. "We need to get all the uniforms, hats, and instruments out here!" Cassie groaned and rolled her eyes. Abbe's shoulders slumped, Ashley sighed.  
"She probably won't help us at all either," Abbe whispered. She ran her hand through her slowly lengthening black hair and bravely walked forward with Ashley and Cassie following miserably. 


	2. The Major Food Groups

It took another fifteen minutes for anybody else to arrive, and when that happened, most of the hats and instruments were already out on the sidewalk. On the plus side, the people who arrived consisted of most of the band, so Cassie, Ashley, and Abbe quietly abandoned their efforts and went to play soccer with a half empty drink bottle in a secluded part of the parking lot. Cassie was very proud of herself when she actually was able to kick the bottle in the proper direction at Abbe who was goalie. Unfortunately, Cassie had fitness induces asthma and during a lull in which Ashley had accidentally kicked the bottle into a ditch, Cassie began to wheeze. She sat down and rummaged through her denim bag for her inhaler. Ashley and Abbe had apparently tired of soccer as well, because they came and sat next to her.  
"So what did you put in your carry on?" Ashley asked peering into Cassie's bag.  
"Oh the usual. Camera, gummy bears, a big ass bar of chocolate, and of course, certain womanly products." Ashley gave Cassie a sympathetic pat on the arm.  
"God, I'm so sorry," Abbe said. "You do realise that now Knat will be sniffing you constantly."  
"EEEEWWWWWW! My God what have I done to you?" she threw a stray sock at her face. Much to Cassie's relief, their conversation was interrupted by their parents coming over.  
"What are you girls talking about?" Abbe's mother asked. The girls grinned at eachother.  
"Oh nothing," the three of them said simultaniously in would be innocent voices.  
"And why aren't you helping to bring out the stuff?" Cassie's father aksed with a slight glare. Cassie glared back.  
"We've done enough slave labour for that old hag!" she replied defiantly. Her father backed off. Cassie rummaged through her backpack until she found her favorite teddy bear Cubby. He was a light brown ball of fluff and was wrapped in her blankie who had been given the name George.  
It was actually a very short time to wait until all was out, and loaded. Conrad was calling the band to the big, comfy bus that was waiting for them. Abbe, Cassie, and Ashley hugged their parents. All the otheres were hugging theirs' too, so it was nothing to be embarrassed over. Cassie smiled over her mother's shoulder when she saw Mrs. Conrad had nobody to hug, so she was yelling at somebody and telling them to be gentle with the bass drum, because there was only one of them. It was also Cassie who noticed Mrs. Conrad give the case a rather protective caress. Maybe she had fond memories of nights with Knate Hale in there. Knat was an icky boy with a lanky body, bright red hair, square glasses, and a very annoying personality. It was also a well known yet rarely talked about fact that Knat and Conrad were "seeing" eachother. The reason nobody talked about it was......well....THAT'S REALLY GROSS!  
One by one, the band students filed onto the bus, beginning with seniors, and going down the classes to Junior High. Nobody knew why Conrad bothered with this, but whatever. Abbe and Cassie got seats next to oneanother, while giving Ashley no choice bu to sit next to her newly discovered love interest Jaz. Jaz had gotten a lot better looking over the past year, and Cassie and Abbe both smiled evilly at Ashley while she looked at them with a mixture of resentment and gratitude.  
The first movie they all watched was Pirates of the Caribbean. Everybody on the bus had seen this at least a hundred times. It was an enjoyable affair nonetheless, as all the people qoted it word for word. It was really very amusing to hear the girls gasp during the kiss scene. Cassie could clearly see many of the boys rolling their eyes. All eyes were glued to the screen, except for those of Conrad and Knat. They were leaning very close to eachother whispering heatedly. Abbe leaned back and shot an amused glance at Ashley. Ashley grinned and nodded.  
"They're probably discussing what they should do in the shower once they get to the hotel," Abbe said quietly to Cassie. Cassie made a disgusted face, but privately agreed.  
'it's really not fair,' she thought. 'How is it that Knat and Conrad get more action than all three of us put together?'  
The movie ended when they were right on the NH border going into Mass. The bus stopped so that the kids could stretch and get lunch at McDonalds. This was not any of the girls' favorite eating place, so Cassie, Abbe, and Ashley brought their carryon bags inside so that they could see what they might scrounge up. Cassie went to get some fries, which were about the only decent thing to eat at this place, while Abbe opened up and began to divide a bag of crispy M&Ms. Ashley had brought a big bag of string cheese and gave each of them a stick.  
"Great lunch," said Cassie sarcastically, coming back to them with three medium fries.  
"Best food in the world," Abbe retirted while getting up to pump some ketchup. "Starch, Cheese, and CHOCOLATE." Ashley nodded in agreement.  
"The three major food groups," she said through a bite of cheese.  
"All except for meat," Abbee said fairly sitting back down. All in all, it was a very enjoyable lunch.  
  
The next movie they watched was Drumline. Ashley and Cassie looked at eachother worriedly when they saw what was going into the VCR. It had always been their most fervent prayer that Conrad would never see this particular movie. as it were, she was paying very strict attention. And Abbe felt sure she saw an evil smile forming on Conrad's face when the poor little band students from the movie were forced to run up the bleachers with their heavy instruments. Cassie and Ashley were very grateful that they played small instruments. But there was little time to dwell on this. They were now at the airport, and all was in chaos.  
  
There you go dear Falling Water. I hate Conrad too. My heart aches for revenge. (I'm listening to hymn to the sea at the moment, so I'm being a bit dramatic) Not really funny, but I promise more humor in a future chapter. Maybe a sweet scene with Jaz. 


	3. Stowaways

Yay! I actually got another review! Go me! Because of that one review, I am writing another chapter. DUN DUN DUN.........................and here it is  
  
The plane ride would have been very boring. True, Cassie, Abbe, and Ashley all got a row of seats together, but they were in the middle section so not even one of them got a window seat. Not that it was much to see anyway. Cassie jerked from a doze when she heard her name called softly. Her eyes snapped open ans she recalled for a moment that she had been dreaming about running through a sunny field in nothing but a toga while happy deer hand bounded all around her. She then remembered that she was back in the real world, and a very familiar face was staring at her dressed in a stewardess's outfit.  
"Jaimie?" she gasped. "What in the hell? Jaimie?"  
"Eeeeeeeee!" Jaimie squealed. Jaimie was another friend of the trio, although she wasn't in band. "I decided to come with you," she stated simply. By now, Abbe, and Ashley had woken up too."  
"O MY GOD!" Ashley said a bit too loudly. Several people jerked awake for a moment before falling back asleep. "Jaimie, why are you here?" Jaimie shrugged.  
"I felt like going to a country where the men had accents. And besides, It was going to be lonely at lunch without you."  
"So you disguised yourself as a stewardess, and came onto our plane just so you could be with us?" Abbe asked. Jaimie nodded eagerly. "You go sistah!" Abbe said admiringly.  
"So you actually got your mom to let you come to Ireland?" Ashley asked sceptically with a raised eyebrow. Jaimie's face fell.  
"I fully expect to be whipped, branded, grounded, and disowed for this," she replied glumly. But brightened again. "But it'll be worth it! Besides, I can just live with Cassie." Cassie shrugged in an ok whatever fashion, and Jaimie went off to get drinks and serve dinner. The three she left behind gaped.  
"I can't believe she did that!" Ashley gasped. Cassie shrugged.  
Dinner was a terrible thing. Dry chicken with multi colored peppers. Cassie hated peppers. She did however enjoy the three musketeers bar. Then she ate a bit more chocolate and went back to sleep.  
Not enough sleep though. The lights came on, the plane touched down, and all was in chaos again. And it was by the luggage when Abbe, Ashley, Cassie, and Jaimie recieved another shock.  
"Nicole!" Abbe shouted even though they were only a foot apart. Nicole was Abbe's older sister, and another friend of the group who wasn't in band. "How the hell did you get here?"  
"I stowed away in the bass drum case."  
"You do realise that Mom and Dad will kill you," Abbe stated. Nicole nodded.  
"But it's okay, I'll just move in with Cassie."  
"But wait," ashley said. "If you stowed away in the bass drum case, then where did the bass drum go?" Nicole grinned sheepishly.  
"Well, there wasn't any room with the bass drum in the case, so I had to leave it behind." Cassie felt her stomach drop.  
"Oh NO!" She whispered.  
"What? There are more bass drums right?" Nicole asked fiddling nervously with the chain on her pants.  
"Nicole! We are a class S school!" Abbe said exasperated. "There is only one bass drum! Now we are all SCREWED!":She ran a hand through her hair while Cassie smacked Nicole upside the head.  
"Now Conrad is going to make our lives living hell, and we probably won't be able to play." Ashley said more calmly than she felt. They all waited tensely for some sign that Mrs. Conrad found out about the missing instrument. It came several seconds later.  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" A crowd consisting mostly of band students had gathered around Mrs. Conrad who was on her knees. "My bass drum! The one thing more important to me than Knat!" Knat ran forward to lay a comforting arm around Mrs. Conrad's shoulders.  
"Somebody get her some tea!" he cried. Mrs. Conrad was now sobbing and murmuring incoherently.  
"The magic, the bass, the magic!" were the only words that could be understood. And then she stood up. Knat looked at her admiringly. She looked taller somehow. More powerful, and when she spoke, her voice was terrible.  
"WHO DID THIS!" she raged. "WHO? IF I FIND OUT WHO DID THIS!!!!!!!!" She looked momentatily at Abbe, Ashley, and Cassie who shrank back in fear while shaking their heads. Then she slumped into a chair and put her face in her hands. 


	4. The plans of Darnoc

And another Review! GO ME! the fact that I got two reviews from the same person doesn't matter, only the fact that that person liked this stupid story enough to come back to it. Which is pretty amazing considering that I wrote it when I was coughing like a maniac and my nose was running like a freaking sprinkler system (cold) anyway, notamonkey128, you rock! And of course dear Falling Water, but since I talk to you every day and mention you a lot....  
  
"Crap, she suspects us!" Ashley hissed at the other four. "Now we are totally screwed!"  
"And the worst part is, we had nothing to do with it!" Abbe said while glaring at Nicole who looked rather worried.  
"I think I may have left my strawberry kiwi newtons in the case!" She moaned in agony. "Now what am I supposed to eat?" Ashley flung a string cheese at Nicole who ate it appreciatively.  
"God you're easy," she muttered in disgust.  
"What? How was I supposed to know that we were too poor to afford more than one bass drum?" She cried defensively with her mouth full.  
"Well, whatever, we have to go with Conrad." Cassie said practically. "Jaimie, Nicole, Put you hoods up and don't look up. Then you won't be noticed." They obeyed, and everything proceeded quite smoothly. Cassie would have been very happy with the way everything turned out, except that she had a gnawing feeling of foreboding. Something bad was going to happen.  
"Hey, why are you looking so grim?" someone asked from behind Ashley. She turned, only to be staring deep into Jaz's eyes Her, breath caught, her face reddened, and she found herself completely unable to form a halfway decent reply.  
"Ummmmm.....Conrad......lost the drum....yeah," With her face burning, she turned and hurried to catch up with her friends.  
  
Much later.... It was a hotel room. Anybody who was outside the door would think as much, but if they stepped over the threshold, they would be in for a nasty shock. She was no longer Mrs. Conrad, the tempermental, and generally moronic band instructor. She was Lord Darnoc, evil sorceress who wanted nothing more than to be the supreme band instructor of the WORLD! She had a difficult job ahead of her, but she was helped not by loyal and horny Knat, but by the snivelling red furred, not- quite-human Tank. At the moment, she was rather unhappy though, and Tank was scuttling around trying to make her comfortable.  
"The bass is gone," she said thickly. "Without the bass, we have no power! I am powerless!"  
"There there," said Tank soothingly. "We just have to think of a way to get back to the US, get our......um.....your drum, and come back here! Maybe the army could do it...." He broke off with a cry of pain when Darnoc got up and smacked him across the face.  
"You FOOL!" She hissed. "Our army is only to be used when we are ready to strike! Do you honestly think that people are so stupid that they will not notice a giant group of brass instruments and batons getting on a plane?"  
"Yes, yes, you're right of course. I'm sorry for my stupidity," Tank replied humbled.  
"Good, Darnoc said satisfied. Now suck on my toes while I tell you of my plans." Tank bent eagerly to do so. "Now, It is rather a complicated story. Where to begin?"  
  
"They weren't all that great when they started out. Would you believe that Abbe started in the sixth grade playing flute? She turned out all right by the end, but then she got her hair hacked off so she switched to the saxophone by the end of her seventh grade year. She took to that quite well, considering I didn't teach her a thing.  
Good old Ashley. She started playing in her sixth grade year too. Nothing special. She took lessons from me until she was a freshman. She can play well when she's with other flutes, or otherwise in a no pressure situation. But she has a wonderfully sarcastic attitude. All three of them do, but she's more subtle about it. But that's beside the point. She can play the best sixteenth notes I've ever heard.  
And then there's Cassie. She started in fourth grade. When she started, she didn't even know what way to hold her instrument. It was pathetic! But she made it to the end of the year, and when her instructor gave her an award, it boosted her confidence I think. Personally I don't think she deserved that trophy, but you can't win them all. Anyway, she started taking private lessons the next year, and her abilities skyrocketed.  
Abbe and Ashley began to take lessons too. from the same guy. They all improved. I need to dispose of this man somehow. Because of him, those three are closer to fufilling their destinies and causing my destruction!"  
"What are their destinies?" Tank asked stopping his sucking for a second.  
"TO BECOME THE GREATEST PLAYERS OF THEIR INSTRUMENTS IN THE WORLD!" Darnoc cried. "They've also improved a great deal since they all became friends! And it is very bad that they are friendly with oneanother. They have the kinds of instruments necessary. When you put a clarinet, a flute, and a saxophone together, it creates a magic so great....I mean to say, you heard them when they played the Hallelujah Chorus together! It was breathtaking. They were responsible for the bass drum incident! I know it! They are becoming aware of their powers, and that must never happen. NEVER! If it does, they will overthrow me and be the good band leaders that they were born to be! They must also never discover the sacred land of Ecitcarp Moor, their rightful homeland, or Egarots Moor our land of doom. If they do, they will find the power to create their own army."  
"And what do you intend to do with the enslaved percussionists?" Tank asked worriedly.  
"They belong to me, because I have stolen their drumsticks. Those are their sources of power. Unless I give them back, they will remain my slaves FOREVER! They are no longer mortal. They serve me unwillingly, but faithfully." And thunder clapped as Lord Darnoc's laugh rang through the night. "In order to get rid of them, I will sell them. They will become slaves, and that will also provide you with the money to back to the states and get back our bass drum. When it is back in my possession, It will unleash the ultimate POWER!"  
  
Another AN: Yeah, that got weird and demented very quickly. But my friends have been begging me to write a Darnoc/Tank story. Since you probably have no idea what I'm talking about I'll enlighten you.  
  
Darnoc = Conrad backwards Tank = Knat backwards Egarots Moor = Storage room backwards (bad guy land) Ecitcarp Moor = Practice Room backwards (good Guy Land)  
  
In band we say Darnoc and Tank so that we can make fun of the real people without them knowing we're talking about them. And then we all agreed that Darnoc sounded like an evil lord with tank as an odd sidekick. Very complicated inside joke. *awkward moment of silence* Happy Birthday to my friend whom Nicole is named after...YAY! 


	5. Stupid Questions

Falling Water demanded another chapter, so I am trying to accomodate her wishes. I've never written more than one chapter a day before....here goes........  
  
Having had quite a day, the five friends slept like rocks. Jaimie and Nicole shared a bed while Ashley and Cassie shared the other, since Abbe had insisted that she sleep on the floor. But the night was not meant to pass in peace. At about three in the morning, Cassie was awakened by a draft coming from the balcony. She looked up bleary eyed and all the breath left her body.  
A stooped little figure draped in black stood before her. Although he was about half her size, the malice in his eyes told her that he was no one to be trifled with.  
"Good morning fair Cascada," It rasped. There was a familiar note in the voice. A cocky note that had annoyed Cassie to no end.  
"Knat!" She cried. Instantly, she was unable to speak. Something was stopping her. Some force. It was holding a baton to her throat, and if she had been any less open minded than she was, she would not have believed that fact that her voice had been stopped by some sort of magic.  
"Now we'll have none of that," he cautioned. "and to answer your question, I am Knat Hale only by day. By night, I am loyal servant and lover to the all powerful Lord Darnoc. You know her as Mrs. Conrad. Cassie's eyes must have bugged, for Knat or Tank began to laugh. "Yes, you've been slaving for a dark sorceress for over six years! How do you feel?"  
The loud voiced had awoken the rest of the party. Except for Abbe who could sleep through a nuclear explosion. Jaimie must have turned on the light, for brightness soon smarted All of their eyes. Including Tank who lowered his baton to rub his own eyes. Cassie used the first moment she had her voice back to scream bloody hell. This woke Abbe up.  
"What the!" she cried. "Cassiekins are you ok? I dreamt Jaz cam into the room and...." Her voice was cut off too. The rest of the friends weren't saying too much either, so their voices had probably been eliminated.  
If nothing else, somebody had heard Cassie's cry. Jaz came storming into the room, from the balcony. His room was right next to their's and he had climbed over the rail.  
"Hey are you alright? Is Ashley okay? What the......Jaimie? Nicole?........" Boom, his voice was gone. Tank was grinning madly.  
"It looks like I'll be travelling first class. Six people! My misstress will be pleased." He waved his baton, and they were all yanked to their feet, and had no control over their bodies as they walked single file out of the door.  
  
Once they were outside, they had their voices back. And many questons needed to be answered.  
"How did you force us to move like that?" Abbe asked. Tank laughed scathingly.  
"You know those insane movements she does when she conducts crecendos? You didn"t think that was just for show did you?" Abbe stayed silent. "Every movement she does with this thing is stored in the core of the baton, and the energy from the movement can be expelled to control the movements of others.  
"And the voice thing?" Jaimie asked.  
"Same thing," Tank replied easily. "Sound. Key to music really. That's a more general thing, even you could make me shut up if you wanted to. If you could get ahold of the baton that is." Jaz was not for lack of trying, but almost before he had moved, his arms had snapped to his sides totally useless, and Tank was laughing again.  
"What exactly do you intend for us?" Cassie asked timidly getting into the car.  
"I am going to sell you into slavery, get money, go home, get the drum, come back, and take over the world."  
"And how will a drum help you to take over the world?" Ashley asked sarcastically. Tank seemed to be losing his temper.  
"Because it holds the ultimate power! The bass drum is what keeps the whole thing going! It is the most primal, the most ancient of beats, and it is desperately needed if Lord Darnoc is to achieve her goal to take over the whole music world!"  
"And exactly why do you want to take over the world?" Abbe asked.  
"THAT'S THE DUMBEST QUESTION I HAVE EVER HEARD!" Tank shouted. "Why do I want to take over the world??" he mimicked.  
  
They were driving along now, Cassie unable to concentrate on anything but the little duckies on her jammie bottoms. She didn't know what the hell was going to happen to them, but so help her they would fight! A fierce power welled up inside her, and she realised that the instruments in this particular car had not been unloaded. Abbe, Ashley, and Cassie had put their instruments in this car. She smiled. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling that this nasty little sidekick would meet an untimely death, and evil lord whatever would fall. 


	6. Moments

AN: I don't know what's wrong with me, but I really really like this story! I'm actually somewhat sure what I want to do with it. And I take this moment to say that my two most favorite reviewers in the whole wide world...I LOVE YOU GUYS! Nothing funny of course. Okay...This is chapter six...  
  
Eventually, the party became silent. Partially from exhaustion, partially from fear. Ashley fell into an uneasy sleep, and her head fell onto Jaz's shoulder. Jaz looked down at her in surprise, and a small smile touched his lips. Abbe and Cassie glanced nervously at eachother every so often, and Nicole stared absently out the window. Tank chuckled now and again, but besides this, the atmosphere within the car was quite silent.  
  
Nobody knew just how long they drove, but after what could have been minutes or hours they stopped at a run down rather skanky hotel that looked like it had been built sometime in the mid-thirteen- hundreds. Ashley woke up with a start and her head came up. Jaz looked rather disappointed as he took one last breath in which he could distinctly smell the faint aroma of pear from her shampoo (aww, sweet sappy moment. you're welcome Falling Water) As Tank got out, the slowly rising sun touched his hairy face, he grew taller, thinner, and more Knat like. The prisoners watched this transformation with wide eyes.  
"Come," he said harshly once the transformation was complete. The group followed him meekly. Ashley noticed with some satisfaction that Jaz insisted on being between her and Knat.  
  
If the outside of the building was shabby, it was nothing compared to the interior. It was lit by several dim lightbulbs that did little to vanquish the darkness. Knat nodded to the middle aged woman at the bar. This one was extremely fat and had badly thinning yellow hair. Her name is not important. She nodded back at Knat which sent several of her largest chins wobbling. All the prisoners except Abbe looked at this woman who was strangely familiar. Abbe wasn't paying attention, she was looking at her surroundings and a all the strange people sitting at the tables. None of them seemed like they would have enough money to buy a human being.  
  
Knat herded the group to the very back of the room and up a narrow, rickety staircase which looked likely to collapse at any moment and into a small, dirty room with a single moth eaten bed.  
"You'll be staying in here 'til your buyers come to collect you," And laughing nastily, he slammed the door and locked it with a large brass key. Then he went downstairs to sing with the lady at the bar to old barbershop music.  
"Shit!" Ashley cursed as she looked at their dismal surroundings. The window was boarded up, so very little light even got in.  
"Well, this promises to be a most stressful day," Nicole said a bit too airily. "I suggest that we all get a bit of sleep." And without any further ado, she flopped onto the bed and closed her eyes.  
"You are a bad person Nicole!" Ashley raged. "I am wearing almost nothing here, and I am freaking cold!"  
  
Jaz became very aware of this fact at the same time as Ashley who looked down at herself. She was wearing only a large T shirt with picture of a lady penguin sitting on an iceberg throne holding a sceptre with grapes and gold coins surrounding her. Penguin Goddess was written in swirly, sparkly writing below. Jaz, losing all thoughts of possible rejection, snatched the moldy blanket off of the fully clothed Nicole, and wrapped it around Ashley. And Ashley felt a warm glowing feeling in her chest that had very little to do with the threadbare thing about her shoulders.  
"Thanks," she murmured rather huskily. Jaz smiled his demonic and yet innocent smile that made Ashley weak in the knees.  
"If you're still cold, I could always give you a hug, to keep you warm. Ashley was totally speechless, and could only look at him doubtfully. Cassie couldn't keep herself from intervening.  
"She would love a hug from you Jaz," she said smiling. She hadn't spoken to Jaz in about ten years, and he looked at her like he had never known she existed(nothing bad dear Guinievere) but to Ashley's joy and amazement, he heeded Cassie's word, and pulled her into a warm hug.  
"Awwwwwwwww," Cassie and Jaimie crooned while Abbe clapped softly. Nicole was already asleep. The hug ended, and they all sat on the floor. Cassie laid down and Abbe leaned against the wall. Cassie soon sank into peaceful oblivion, continuing her dream about togas, fields, and happy deer. But Ashley and Jaz stayed awake together. They didn't talk. Occasionally shooting eachother glances. Some nervous, some shy. But all the while they awaited for ther fate.  
They didn't have all that long to wait. It must have been about eight o' clock when they key rattled in the lock, and the door flew open.  
  
AN: Okay dear reviewers, another chapter! Be Happy Now! 


	7. Names, houses, and all that Jaz

And everyone was happy, because it was updated again!  
~THE END~ (if only it were that simple)  
  
Cassie woke up for the third time in twelve hours, but this time, it felt like a big spoonful full of thick, coiling fear had been dropped into her stomach. 'O GOD!' She thought. 'This is really happening!' Her other friends didn't look so hot either. Abbe was waiting with baited breath while Jaimie trembled in a dark corner.  
  
Jaz noticed with a jolt that behind Knat, there were several people. One was a well dressed older gentleman who looked like he supported many local charities and sent money to poor children overseas. One was a dark skinned, muscular man with dreadlocks who looked like the sort of person who would kill a man for talking bad about his mama. Jaimie looked rather interested in this one. And the other was a young woman who was totally average, and could be one of the girls you see on the street every day. She was probably in her mid-twenties to Jaz's way of thinking and was pretty enough with long brown hair and deep blue eyes.  
  
It was over far too quickly. There was no discussion of any kind. They just pointed at those that they wanted, and Knat went over to each of the captives, yanked them to their feet, and presented them to their masters.  
"They've paid a pretty sum for you, so don't disappoint them!" he growled. Jaimie and Nicole went to the dark man, Ashley and Cassie went to the old gentleman, and Abbe and Jaz went to the young woman. They looked sorrowfully at one another before being led out the door. Who knew when they would meet again.  
  
Cassie and Ashley walked close together as they left the hotel and went into the parking lot. Ashley was struck by a sudden thought. It made no sense, but she felt that she had to ask anyway.  
"Hey excuse me...um...sir...master?" The old gentleman turned and looked at Ashley inquiringly. "Yeah, I was wondering if we could maybe take out instruments along. You know, a comfort of home. And the old country?" To her immense surprise, the old gentleman nodded.  
"Yes, that would be very lovely wouldn't it? I'm a band teacher myself. I'll be helping Lord Darnoc gain her power." He then took out a baton of his very own, and pointed it at the car that Knat had driven. the trunk popped open, and Cassie ran to get their instruments.  
"So, you're in league with Darnoc?" Ashley asked pleasantly.  
"Why of course! Marvelous work she's doing. Been my secret ambition for years now, only she's gotten the ball rolling. She's promised to share her power with me and the other two people who bought your friends." Cassie came back carrying the cases of a flute and a clarinet. "Ahh, lovely!" the gentleman said clapping his hands. "Into the car then."  
"Where's Abbe's saxophone?" Ashley asked as they got into the back seat.  
"It was too big to carry all three of them, and I figured that since Abbe isn't here..." She broke off sadly. Ashley silently accepted her flute, wondering what had happened to the others.  
Cassie was also wondering. She wondered whether the pretty lady who had bought Jaz would ruin all of the group's plans to get he and Ashley together(worry not FW) and then she wondered if their plans were ruined already.  
"So, I heard you're in league with Darnoc," she said. "Do you have a name? Or do we just refer to you as Master?"  
"You will call me master," the gentleman answered smoothly. "but you may refer to me however you choose. My name is Annod Yawnoc." There didn't seem to be much to say after that. Cassie stared out the window was the car took them far from any town. A castle-like building was coming into view. Cassie was really quite facinated, having never seen a castle anywhere except for pictures, and TV. She was even more amazed when the car slowed to a stop in front of the magnificent structure.  
"Is this where we're going to be staying?" She asked. Annod nodded.  
"It has been in my family for over seven-hundred years. I'm really quite fond of it." Both were intimidated and awed by the manor house, and. they approached it warily. Cassie had seen a lot on castles on TV shows about haunted things, and she wasn't all that sure she wanted to come into contact with some sort of spirity thing.  
"We'll have to watch for orbs," she murmured to Ashley who looked at her like she was insane.  
  
Jaz and Abbe didn't fare so well. At least Cassie and Ashley were very good friends and were able to talk, or at least sit in a companionable silence. But Abbe and Jaz had never spoken. The only thing they shared was the fact that they both played Saxophone.  
'But not even the same kind of saxophone for God's sake!' she thought bitterly. Sure, she had tried fervently to help Jaz realise how much he and Ashley loved eachother, but she barely knew the kid! She sighed moodily and stared straight ahead. This was really going to suck.  
"Now we'll have none of that," the pretty lady scolded sharply. The key to getting on well with me is to never, EVER complain in any way.  
"Who are you?" Jaz asked suddenly. The pretty lady glared at him through her rearview mirror.  
"I am nobody to mess with Mister," she snapped. "But if you must know, My name is Julia N. You may call me Miss N.  
  
'What a weirdo,' Jaz thought sulkily. The least that could have been done would have been to have he and Ashley together. Now his life would be a living hell, and he would be forced to share it with a girl he didn't even know, and a woman who referred to herself with a single letter. Where was the justice!? He had been planning to ask Ashley out on his trip, and pray she said yes. Yeah, life had reached an all time low for Jaz. He didn't even have his saxophone to ease his pain. He was an excellent saxophone player, even if he did say so himself. He was going to ask whether she had any at the place where they were going, but he was unable to talk. Miss N was staring daggers at him, and holding a baton aloft in one hand.  
"Rule one you two," she sneered. "Try to speak as little as possible in my presence." Abbe was going to retort, but her voice had stopped working again too. 'Damn' she thought. 'This will be one long life.'  
  
The car soon slowed to a stop, and turned onto a narrow dirt road with trees guarding it on either side. In several seconds, the house was visible. It was small and modest, but Abbe noticed with a horrible sinking feeling that way off in the distance there were several tiny little structures. 'Damn,' Jaz thought. 'This will be one long life.'  
  
Annod had evoked a feeling of cautious relief in his slaves. Julia N had made her slaves feel for her a deep hatred. The other master, Ping- Pong made Jaime and Nicole feel something quite different................................................................... ........................................................  
  
AN: THIS TOOK ME FOREVER! Not the best chapter, but I thought it was important that you know what everyone is thinking, but I didn't want you to get too bored, to I left Jaimie and Nicole out for now. Anyway, enjoy!!!! And I already know that you will review, so I need not bother asking you two to do it. 


	8. A Romantic Evening

AN: Something my dear friend has done might make the rest of this story slightly more difficult to write, but it may be infinitely for interesting for you to read. Yay, thanks again to my two favorite reviewers, your reviews are the shining light of my life. SOOOOOO.....Chapter eight! Eight is my favorite number by the way. Just in case you were wondering. So *trumpet sounds* CHARGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.................................................. ..................................................  
  
Nicole sat up quickly on the bed when she saw who her master was. Jaimie stood up as well. To Nicole's agitation, she was smiling.  
"Who are you?" Jaimie asked. The tall man looked down at her and grunted.  
"I am your lord and master. You can Call me Ping-Pong, I will tell you now that I expect both of you to be.......good little girls. If you are anything but.....how shall I say this?...You will suffer me, and my displeasure. And when I am displeased, rest assured that you will suffer greatly." He spoke in a very low voice that was extremely intimidating. Nicole shot glances at Jaimie to see what she made of that particular statement. Jaimie was still smiling. 'Dear God!' Nicole thought in disgust. "Come!" Ping-Pong ordered while ripping off one of his dreadlocks and putting it in his mouth.(don't ask). Nicole was very glum as she dragged her feet out of the room and down the stairs. She didn't even have her strawberry kiwi newtons to comfort her. 'Damn,' she thought. 'This is gonna be one long life.'  
  
Ping-Pong's car was one that had probably never passed an inspection in its life. It was painted about twenty different colors and the seatbelts and rearview mirror were missing. Even Jaimie, who drove one of the most....reluctant cars in the world looked at this vehicle like its parts belonged in an alluminum can. Nicole was just extremely distressed. 'God only knows what nasty things he's got growing in there!' her mind screamed. Ping-Pong opened the back door.  
"In," he demanded while giving Jaimie a rather piercing look. Nicole scurried to obey. When she was gingerly sitting on the wet-from-something- nasty seat, she fingered the chain on her pants lovingly. 'I won't be like this long,' she thought while glaring at her captor.  
  
Jaimie didn't enjoy sitting in the nasty car much either. It had a strong smell of beer and a poorly made fish sandwich. Thinking of fish made Jsimie think of something she had learned on the discovery channel about trout. They went upstream to lay eggs and mate or whatever. And then her mind inevitably fell on the subject that it rarely ever left....mating. Her eyes moved instinctively to her new owner, and she wondered just what he had bought them for. Her mind wandered over several possibilities, and she had to admit that some were not all that unappealing.  
  
Ping-Pong turned onto a poorly paved road on which there were absolutely no buildings. Except one. Jaimie's heart sank like a stone when she saw it, and even more when Ping-Pong stopped on the side of the road in front of it. This....structure was something like three miserable little shacks all fused together with wood glue. The "yard" was littered with empty cans, and a well used dart board was nailed to the front door. Three rusty darts stuck from the faded red bull's eye. The wood was soggy and dark brown., and several glass bottles lay in the ashes of a burnt out bonfire off to the side.  
"It's not all that great," he said almost apologetically. "But with your help, we'll make it better." Jaimie looked at him in amazement. That's all he wanted them to do? Restore a crappy house back to its former glory? If it ever had any glory to begin with. "Well, Miss Jaimie, I imagine you're a bit chilly," Jaimie remebered what she was wearing, which was nothing more than a white tank top and black satiy pants with little Snoopys all over them. Yeah, she was a bit cold now that she thought about it. Ping-Pong ripped off another one of his dreadlocks and began to eat it. He did not seem at all perturbed that his two slaves were responding.  
  
"There is one thing that you must remember, if we are to get along together. Me llamo Senorita Gallina, y me encanta jugar con los ojos de los osos de peluches! Spanish. Latin based of course. Never mind what it means, but I want you to memorize that. It is my personal saying, and it is very important to me! So, without any further ado, let's get Miss Jaimie some decent clothes, and start working!" Jaimie hated touching rotting wood. 'Damn this is going to be one hell of a long life.'  
  
Mrs. Conrad watched eagerly as the sun sank behind the trees. Everything was going as planned. All the musical events had been mysteriously cancelled, and the band students had been told that Cassie, Abbe, Ashley, and Jaz had had to be sent home due to pressing family matters, and the death of a favorite great uncle Morton. Her malicious laugh filled the room as she transformed once again into LORD DARNOC. Tank scurried out of the bathroom to bow low her.  
"Arise faithful servant. I have a pleasant evening planned for us." She smiled in what could have been interpereted as a kind manner.  
"Oh thank you kind Misstress!" Tank said eagerly. I do love surprises!"  
"Then come dear Tank, sit down." She waved her baton, and an overstuffed chair moved forward just slightly so he could sit down without moving to far. Darnoc replaced her rather hideous pink sweater and icky black pants with a short, tight fitting orange dress that clashed terribly with her hair; and a long black cape. She waved her baton again, and a haunting melody wafted through the air. Tank leaned forward eagerly. It wasn't often that Darnoc was in this mood. He admired the way her slightly drooping legs were hugged by the dress.  
"What are you doing lady Misstress?" Tank asked sweetly. Darnoc took a deep breath.  
"I don't often tell you how I feel about you my beloved. I am not much good at composing poetry, so I thought it would be best to tell you with something that has already been done." She cleared her throat and dabbed her eyes quickly. Then she opened her mouth.......  
  
"Every night in my dreams....I see you....I feeeeeel you. That is how I know you....go on. Far across the distance...and spaces....betweeeeen us...you have come to show you....go on. Near....Far...Wherever you are....I believe that the heart does...go ooooooooooooon. Once....more...you Oooopen the door and you're here in my heart and....my heart will..go on...and...ooooooooon!"  
  
Tank sat there with tears running freely down his face. Never before had anybody sone something so touching for him. The fact that Darnoc's singing voice was raspy, out of key, and entirely too masculine didn't bother him at all. His wasn't much better. He continued to listen, his heart pounding stronger and stronger, until she was belting out the words...  
"YOOOOOOOOU'RE HERE! THERE'S NOOOOOOOOTHING I FEAR AND I KNOOOOOOW THAT MY HEART WILL GO OOOOOOOOOOOON! WE'LL STAY! FOREVER THIS WAY! YOU ARE SAFE IN MY HEART ANDMY HEART WILL GO ONNNNN AND OOOOOON!"  
When she was done, Tank leaped from his chair to embrace Darnoc.  
"That was so beautiful lady Misstress!" he sobbed.  
"Yes, well, I practiced for ten whole minutes," she said gruffly. "But come now Tank, we have important business to attend to. Your flight leaves at two tomorrow morning, and we still need to see how the percussionists are doing buiding our fortress in Egarots Moor." She waved her baton, and both faded into nothingness.  
  
AN: YaY! chapter 8 is up! I hope it was satisfactory. I had to have a song in there. Orders of my best friend twice removed and thrice replaced or something like that. Very complicated. Soooooo was it okay? It'll get more interesting once everyone starts work and all that. Also, something to look forward to in a future chapter....Will Jaz pass the test of Temptation? DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	9. Key Oil, Corned Beef, and Other Badness

One of the percussionists was being cheeky, so Darnoc had him strung up by his arms over a cauldron full of boiling mouthpiece disinfectant and key oil.  
"What? You don't want to live forever in my kind and gentle service?" she asked sweetly while pushing on his legs to make him sway.  
"I want my drumsticks back!" he said furiously, looking anywhere but at Darnoc. He looked out into the horizon. No stars were out this night. They never were in the land of Egarots Moor. He missed his drumsticks! They were shiny and blue, and he wanted them back. But Darnoc's words had been too much for him. He was a boy with relatively good looks, but he was rather short and skinny, and most of the girls called him 'full of himself'. His name was Koil.  
"But wouldn't it be better to live forever with me doing light labor than growing old and frail?" Darnoc persisted.  
"I choose a mortal life!" he growled, and then spat in her face. With a shriek of rage, Darnoc cut the ropes holding him aloft, and he fell with a splash, screaming in agony as his whole body was covered in the thick, searing concoction. But he couldn't die. He couldn't die, so he writhed in pain, trying in vain to extract himself from the liquid. After several eternities, Darnoc became bored of it, and lifted Koil out of the boiling stuff, and placed him in the care of her oldest and most dedicated percussionist. Luke. (ahh my love) Well, he was dedicated to percussion, not to her, but she overlooked this fact because he was hot.  
"Take this insubordinate child, and clean him up as best you can," she demanded. "and then, straight back to work." Luke nodded and took the groaning Koil in his arms. As he was hurrying towards the finished part of the fortress, Darnoc called after him again. "Oh, and Luke, when you come back out, I want to see you with your shirt OFF! Understand?" Luke reddened slightly beneath his constant tan, but gave a small nod to show that he understood.  
"Why don't you stand up to her?" Koil asked through gritted teeth as he tried not to show how much pain he was in from bouncing on Luke's shoulder. Luke didn't mention that he had thought about it many times.  
"Are you crazy Koil?" he asked. "You know she has our drumsticks! We are powerless!"  
"So steal the drumsticks!" Koil ground out. "She's only one dark sorceress, and there are  
  
like a lot of us! Please Luke! Just think about it!" Luke sighed. He felt bad for the poor drummer. He had never asked for any of this, and neither had any of the others.  
"I'll think about it," he said grimly.  
  
"Thank you," Koil rasped. Now inside the actual building, they had reached a bedroom of sorts. Actually, it was just a bunch of straw pallets with thin blankets over them. Koil's was in the darkest, dampest corner that was farthest away from the thin, arrow slit window. Koil kept his cries of pain o himself as Luke set his burned body onto the rough, burlap covered mattress. That done, Luke went to the window where there was a slightly drooping aloe vera plant. He cut off some and applied to the most badly burnt parts of Koil's body. While doing this, he thought with pity that poor Koil could never be a father because of this. It was sad, as Koil was only sixteen or so.  
"You just rest there Koil," Luke said gently. Then with a sigh, he pulled off his shirt and went away to join the other poor slaves. For Koil, sleep was very long in the coming. He kept going over the events of the past couple days in his mind. All had gone downhill when the bass drum had gone missing. And then Luke had shown up. When this had happened, Koil had felt a ray of hope. Luke was his hero, his idol. If anybody could get them out of this, Luke could.  
  
AN: YAY! I'm out of Darnoc mode for the moment!  
  
Before Annod Yawnoc could lay a hand upon the gigantic Mahogany front door, it was pulled wide open. Standing before them now was an older woman in a long black gown with gigantic puffed sleeves. Her white-streaked brown hair was pulled up in a severe bun right at the top of her head. Cassie was reminded forcefully of the not-so-nice lady on Young Frankenstein. She was even holding the rack of candles for God's sake! She nodded to the three of them in, and without a word, she turned on her heel and walked slowly into the forbidding interior. Cassie felt that she should follow, and to her relief, this seemed entirely the correct thing to do. Pausing at the foot of a wide stone staircase, the woman turned back to the two girls. Anood Yawnoc had disappeared.  
"My name is Madame Velovskie, and I am the misstress of zis house. You will obey me instantly, and visout question. Since I understand Madame Velovskie is rather difficult to say, I vill allow you to call me Vellie. Is zat understood?" Even if Cassie or Ashley had wanted to protest(which they didn't), Vellie's face which was flickering in and out of clear view because of the candles, looked so eerie that they would not have dared to contradict her. They nodded meekly. "Good zen."  
  
As dark and bleak as the castle was, Ashley had to admit that she and Cassie's new living quarters were quite satisfactory. Angels formed from the stained glassin the windows created beautiful colored patterns on the stone floors which had a pretty oriental rug beside the bed. And the bed was an enormous four poster which was situated next to yet another mahogany door which probably led to the bathroom.  
"You must be famished," Vellie said. "I vill leave you here and get zu someting to eat." Then she added with a slight glare, "Do not even tink of trying to run avay! Zese valls are heavily guarded." And then she too left.  
"Well," Ashley said releasing a deep breath. "That could have been a lot worse." Cassie nodded and sat indian style on the oriental rug. Ashley laid on the bed. Cassie glared at her for no apparent reason. "But I wish Jaz was here." Her eyes grew wistful and sad. "I mean, I love him soooo much!"  
"Mmmmm," Cassie replied. It was obvious that Ashley was about to start one of her Jaz rants. These could go on for several hours.  
"I mean, it's his smile! It's so evil, but I love it so much! I love HIM so much! But his eyes! Oh My God! I could just stare into them forever! I really want that to happen! You know, those eye moments before the kiss! ahh! I just love him! I want to marry him and have his children! And I know he's kind of a geek, but he's such a cute geek! and when he talks to me! And I know I'm ranting, but I just can't help it because I love him! "That smile!........................."  
  
This went on for quite awhile until their door opened again and Vellie appeared bearing a tray filled with all manner of really really good things.  
"FOOD!" Cassie cried gleefully springing from her sitting position. Vellie looked rather revolted but said nothing as she handed her Burden to Cassie's eager hands. Then she left again.  
  
Cassie looked happily at the food for a moment. But only a moment. The wafting smell was too much for her food addicted stomach. And considering the fact that her plate held cheezy pasta and cheezy garlic bread, it was incredible that she had paused for even that moment. She completely ignored the salad. Ashley ate at a more dignified pace, and paid a bit of attention to the salad. But not much. (Come on! Calories and carbs or healthy food?) Half an hour later, Vellie came to collect the tray and plates, all of which were completely void of food of any sort. She smiled, satisfied.  
"You have a healthy appetite. Zis is good, because as of tomorrow it's good old Irish food for the likes of you. I'm German myself, but ze master insists." Cassie looked slightly panicked. She had heard of Irish food from her mother. She didn't care for corned beef and cabbage. But she brightened again. POTATOES! those were her staple food. All would be well if she had lots of potatoes! She was so deep in thought that she hadn't noticed that Vellie had left.  
"We'd better go to sleep," Ashley said tensely. "We've got a really sucky day ahead."  
"Right," Cassie replied getting up and crawling into the other side of the bed. It was quite comfortable. "Well, good night Guinievere. Dream of Jaz."  
  
AN: YAY! another chap done, and its the weekend which opens up all new possibilities. And the promise of chocolate bunnies! Yes! Happy Easter to any and all who celebrate it! And what the hell! I'm just going to dedicate this whole story to FallinWtrsClaw and Notamonkey128. YAY! you are all now famous! 


	10. The Small Ones are never Noticed

If Jaz and Abbe had thought badly of Julia N in the car, they loathed her when they saw the tiny little huts that would undoubtedly serve as their new homes. The ousides were bad enough. The insides were...indescribable.(okay, so they are describable, but i needed a word to put there) The floors were dirt and there were no windows. The only light filtered in through the cracks in the walls.  
"I hope you two get along, bacause you'll be rooming together!" Miss N. said happily. "I'll leave you to get settled, and don't you dare try and run away. I'll be back in a bit with your uniforms!" She practically skipped away with her oh so perfect hair flowing behind her. Abbe sighed and sat down against the wall. Jaz joined her, though he sat about two feet away. Abbe didn't notice. She was too worried about the people she actually cared about. Sure, Jaz was cute and she and the others tried tirelessly to make him see the light, but...he really didn't matter all that much to her.  
"Soooooo," Jaz said as though completely clueless as to where to begin. Abbe looked at him rather expectantly. "I guess we're pretty much screwed." Abbe nodded. "Do you have any gum?" Abbe shook her head. "I hate you." Abbe shrugged and turned her head away. "Okay then," Jaz said. At least he had tried to start a conversation. Abbe sighed again. But then brightened. Her eyes darted around, looking at various spots on the ceiling. Jaz tried to look at what had caught her undivided attention, but nothing remotely interesting met his eye. "Ummmmm, Abbe?"  
"Shhhh!" Abbe hissed glaring at him. "It is right above your head!" Jaz looked up quickly, and was surprised to see that nothing was there. He looked at the girl, now seriously doubting her sanity.  
"There is nothing there!" he said firmly.  
"You idiot!" she cried! "You scared it all the way ti the other side of the room!"  
"What in the hell are you talking about!" Jaz shouted somewhat panicked. Again, Abbe hissed at him to be quiet, and after a second, her hand shot out and grabbed something that Jaz couldn't see. She took a bite and closed her eyes in ecstasy. She held her hand out to him.  
"Want some?" she offered smiling.  
"What exactly is 'it'?" he asked looking distastefully at her open, empty hand. Abbe rolled her eyes.  
"It's a Pixie! Caught in the prime of its life! I already ate the gonads, but the neck is pretty good."  
"You are insane!" Jaz proclaimed loudly getting up and walking to the other side of the cabin.  
"I pride myself on the fact!" Abbe said very defensively while taking another imaginery bite out of the 'pixie'. Jaz shuddered. He wondered what exactly he was being forced to live with until they could be rescued.  
  
Their uncomfortable silence was broken when they heard footsteps outside the door. a few seconds later, it flew open, and Miss N stepped insided looking as bubbly as ever.  
"I have your uniforms!" she gushed. and she held up one of the most horrible things Abbe had ever seen. It was a gigantic purple bow tie. This in itself was bad enough, but whatsmore, it had big red polka dots. Both mouths fell open in revulsion. But they did not stay like that for long. Their jaws were forced closed, and yet again, they were unable to speak. Jaz glared. Abbe just looked really pissed. Either way, they walked unwillingly to revieve their bow ties, and unwillingly pinned them around their necks. Miss N smiled cruelly and left again. Once the door had clicked shut, Jaz growled and kicked the wall. He didn't wince eventhough it must have hurt. Abbe looked at him. He had gained himself a bit of respect in her eyes.  
  
"This sucks so much!" he said angrily kicking the wall with his other foot. There was a crack, and a rather large hole appeared. He frowned in disgust at the flimsy wall, but abandoned his kicking. Abbe looked at him sympathetically. He tried without success to remove the bow tie. Even as he tugged fruitlessly on the filmy fabric, he heard a laugh. She was laughing at him! He was tempted to get up and kick the wall again, but a cool breeze from the new hole made him think better of it.  
"What magic could that baton possibly have to keep these on us?" Abbe wondered aloud. Jaz shrugged unconcerned. It didn't really matter how it was stuck to him. Just the fact that it was. Damn. "I hope Cassie and ASHLEY are alright." Abbe emphasized Ashley. "That old guy seemed a bit sketchy to me."  
Double Damn. He was not all that worried about Cassie. She could take care of herself he knew. But he was concerned with Ashley. No particular reason, he just knew he wouldn't sleep until he could see her all safe and sound. He hoped that was soon. But for a change, his mind steered from Ashley. He knew that Cassie believed he didn't remember the close friendship they had shared way back in first and second grade. But he did. He remembered dancing with her to All the Pretty Little Horses in music class. And he remembered how they had always sat together at lunch. And how they had constantly been assaulted with taunts because of that. They had both held out valiantly for quite awhile. But eventually they had actually begun to believe they might have cooties. Slowly, their friendship had diminished. It was sad. Maybe if they had stayed together, he would not be sitting here in this ridiculus bow tie.  
  
The door rattled again. Two large men entered. One was bearing two instrument cases. the other a small tray of food. They dropped their stuff, and left without a word. Abbe scrambled eagerly for the tray while Jaz got his own beloved saxophone. Abbe's face fell. All there was was some sort of broth and very burned toast. Jaz peered over her shoulder at the unappetizing mass.  
"Looks great," he said darkly.  
"That reed you're sucking on looks more edible," Abbe agreed pushing the tray away and reaching for her own case. All the parts were quickly assembled, and Abbe played a bit of Lord of the Rings music that Cassie had taught her months ago. Cassie had a strange passion for teaching herself to play songs. Not to be outdone, Jaz played a song from Jazz band from memory. It was the only really good song they played, Jungle Boogie. Abbe glared for a second before joining in with her own part. But too many parts were missing and they soon gave up.  
"Sounds like crap without the trumpets," Jaz said disappointed.  
"Well the trumpets are crap anyway," Abbe replied before playing Lord of the Rings again.  
"Your saxophone is bigger than mine!" Jaz said randomly. Abbe took her mouth away from her instrument.  
"Wow! You're a quick one!"  
"Well it's not fair!"  
"Why, because you're a guy?" Abbe didn't even realise how wrong that sounded until it was out. And then her naturally sick mind went to work. She smiled.  
"No," Jaz said. "Whatever, this is a really weird conversation."  
"Well, your saxophone is pretty big too you know," she grinned. Jaz's mouth dropped open. Abbe laughed at his expression.  
"I'm glad you noticed," Jaz said dryly. He didn't want to have these conversations with anyone but Ashley.  
"I only ever notice the BIG saxophones. Have you ever noticed a small saxophone?"  
"I don't think there's any such thing."  
"Big saxopones are very noticable."  
"You are really really weird and need help!" Jaz declared growing tense again. Weird people scared him.  
"What? Are you embarrassed about the size of your saxophone?" Abbe asked sweetly.  
"The size of my saxophone does not concern you! I am happy with my saxophone!" His face reddened, and his masculine pride was pricked when he realised that he had fallen right into her trap. "You're good," he said darkly admitting defeat.  
"Thanks."  
  
The door slammed open again.  
"You didn't eat!" Miss N said softly. "Well I'm afraid that you won't be getting anything else until tomorrow morning. "It's time for your baths. Good hygiene is very important to me. You will bathe twice daily." Abbe could care less. But Jaz wrinkled his nose. He was all for being clean, but a bath? Twice a day? He hoped he had the option of showering instead. And that he could take off his bow tie while he did so.  
  
No such luck. The tub was big and luxurious, but the theme of the whole bathroom was pink. Not to mention, Miss N had insisted that he put in tons of lavender scented bubbles. She had actually stood there and watched him do it! Jaz had never felt so embarrassed. And as if this was not enough, he had the strange feeling that he was being watched. Extremely skittish, Jaz quickly pulled off his clothes(save for the bow tie) and slid into the water. In a matter of seconds, he became very thankful that there were tons of bubbles. He still felt like he was being watched. He shuddered and dunked under to get his hair wet. Okay, so maybe baths weren't all that bad. He just wished it wasn't lavender! He stayed under as long as possible, not wanting to re-expose himself to that strange hunted feeling. Unfortunately, he had a strange addiction to breathing and had to come up eventually. He grabed the bar of soap gratefully. It was actually something halfway masculine. Zest. he lathered it over himself smiling stupidly at how his arms were transformed from reasonably tan to whiting blue. Then he wrinkled his nose. No he didn't like it. It made him look scrawnier than he was. And he was not scrawny. He dunked again.  
  
Abbe finished her own bath in good time. Redressed, she left the bathroom that she had been stationed in, and stood awkwardly in the hallway not knowing what to do. Miss N walked by. She had a very triumphant smile on her face. But she frowned when she saw Abbe.  
"Come you!" she growled. Abbe's upper arms was seized, and rather pointy, scarlet fingernails dug into her flesh. She winced. Miss N led her down the hallway until they stopped at a closed door that Abbe knew to be the room Jaz was bathing in. Knowing what Miss N was going to so right before she did it, Abbe let out a gasp of horror and sent up a quick prayer that Jaz was decent. NOBODY was going to see any of that except for Ashley. All the friends were determined. Thankfully, he was moderately covered. A towel was wrapped around his midriff and he was trying fruitlessly to rip off the ridiculus purple bow tie which was now drooping and waterlogged. Abbe's wasn't. She had been careful not to get any of that wet. She had no extra hair gel, and she wanted the cool little pigtails on the back of her haid to stay red and blue for as long as possible. Either way they both looked like morons. Abbe probably more so, since Jaz had the fabulous abs and good chest to his credit. Abbe couldn't resist looking. Her guilty conscience kicked in after a moment. 'Come on! I'm a living, warm blooded, hormone dominated, teenage girl!' her devil side retorted angrily. 'It's not like I'm gonna try anything!' She didn't get anymore quality viewing time. Jaz's head snapped up in surprise before he looked guiltily at Miss N.  
"Why would you want to remove thos cute little bow ties?" she giggled. her eyes darkened when Jaz scoffed at the word 'little' "Okay, fine," she said sharply. "If you so dislike that little thing, I'm sure I can find something else for you to wear. WAIT HERE!" She skipped away again. The prisoners barely had time to shoot furtive glances at one another. Then she was back. And what she was holding ws too horrible for words. Too horrible for any action of any kind. Black tights, Short, green overalls, a black and white striped shirt, pointed shoes with little bells on the ends, and an orange beret. "Put them on!" Miss N hissed.  
  
AN: I hope that wasn't too uncomfortable for you. If it was, just remember that I had to write the stupid thing! Personally I think it was quite tasteful, but if not I am sorry. As always thanks to my one or two most loyal reviewers! 


	11. The Spleen vs the Strawberry

Abbe had been fully prepared to give Jaz a sympathetic look when he was forced to take and put on the hideous ensemble. As it turned out, Abbe would not be giving any sympathetic looks that day. The reason was because Miss N wasn't holding the outfit out to Jaz. She was holding it out to Abbe. She felt herself being forced to take the clothes. Felt herself being forced into the bathroom, and felt herself being forced to put on the horrible garments. She was brought nearly to tears when she had to come out of the bathroom. Miss N was bent double laughing. Jaz was not. He didn't even smile. For this, Abbe was very thankful.  
"Back.....to your....quarters!" Miss N managed to gasp. And back they went.  
  
By the end of their own day, Jaimie and Nicole were dirty, sweaty, tired, and hungry. Ping-Pong was not. He was in a lawn chair amidst the cans drinking and exotic fruit drink and giving the girls orders. Finally, he called for them to stop and step inside. It was not inside the house, but a large blue tarp that was held up by sticks. Jaimie and Nicole had erected this earlier in the day. This is where they would be sleeping. Nicole personally felt that this was better than the actual house. Jaimie just wanted a shower. It wasn't meant to be. Ping-Pong was calling for them to make dinner. Not for him, he had his braids to keep him happy. They had to scrounge up something for themselves. Nicole was very good at improvisation, but even she had a hard time.  
  
All she had to work with was a dead chicken, wilting lettuce, flour, fermenting V8, a dust bunny, one strawberry worth eating, heavy cream, and ranch dressing mix. The dust bunny and V8 were promptly thrown out. Jaimie wanted to throw away the dead chicken to. It swung ominously from the ceiling and frightened her to no end. Nicole refused, and went to work in making possibly the worst meal in the entire world. The chicken was plucked and rolled in flour to be fried. The dressing mix was combined with water and drizzled over the lettuce which was put in a bowl. The heavy cream was shaken until it magically became something that resembled cool whip. The strawberry was sliced and put over the white mass. This probably doesn't sound half bad.  
  
Nicole was so hungry, she had forgotten to de-organ the dead chicken, so when it was sliced open, all the organs came clearly into view. Including a rather full bladder and a spleen.(Don't ask, I love that word. Spleen spleen spleen ) Not to mention, the bones also stuck through, reminding them of an unpenetrable fortress. They didn't even try to eat it. The lettuce wasn't much better. Jaimie had accidentally added too much water to the ranch dressing mix. The obvious conclusion being that the only apparent flavor was that of the wilting lettuce. The whipped cream was okay, as was the strawberry, but after the dead chicken and lettuce they weren't all that hungry anymore. Nausea, not fullness. They ate it anyway, but let's face it, whipped cream and half a strawberry are not all that filling. Jaimie conveyed this to Ping-Pong who was mixing a margarita in his blender. Nicole stood moodily off to the side. This would never have happened if she hadn't forgotten her strawberry kiwi newtons! Why had she done that? Now her stomach was next to empty, and Ping-Pong was telling Jaimie that they weren't to take showers. There weren't any. The closest shower was available to them was at the indoor pool fifteen minutes away, and Ping-Pong wasn't going near there for another three weeks. Ping-Pong was only going to the store five minutes away to get food. Tomorrow. For that night, they would just have to go to sleep, and hope that this was all a dream.  
  
Author's Note: I did the full spelling of Author's note rather than just AN because that would make the chapter longer. I'm sorry this is pitifully short, but I felt that the chapter should end at the end of their first day as slaves.  
Anyway, so ends the first day. The enslaved children do not dream of unreachable love, decently fried chicken, or sane roommates. They dreamed of freedom. Well, all except for Abbe. She dreamed of a mime wearing her new uniform who was juggling five overripe grapefruit on a unicycle.  
but we're getting off track. Just read the stupid chapter. You don't have to review it, because it's so short, and any review might be longer than the actual chapter, which would make me more ashamed and guilty than I am already. But I probably don't have to worry. almost nobody reviews this thing anyway! I'm okay. Not emotional or anything! Just read the ******** story! I love you! 


	12. Late Night Bath

AN: Do you like how I always alternate my ANs from the top to the bottom? Gives my story the element of surprise. Whatever. I have good news and bad news. The good news is, this chapter will probably be longer and better than the last. The bad news is, I have to go into icky, bad Conrad/Darnoc mode again soon. More good news, It's vacation next week! The bad news, It's a whole bloody week away! The good news, Luke is shirtless and planning a revolt. The bad news, Knat is safely back in Ireland with the bass drum. I'm not giving away anything! What do you mean?  
  
The new day dawned. Not bright, and not cheerful. Rather, it was cloudy and bleak. Not because the evil beings of Egarots Moor were gaining power, but because this was the normal climate. And this was what the six captives woke up to see the next morning. And the next morning. And the next morning. Their lives soon became routine, and they were quickly becoming like the enslaved percussionists. Too bored to do anything for their own good. What kept them from insanity was the fact that they could play. Four of them could blow their pain and mindless work into their instruments.. The other two were not so lucky. Able to do little more than work, eat, and sleep, Nicole and Jaimie were quickly losing their minds. All of them quickly found what was wanted from them, and they complied without question or thought. There was a constant tune in their heads, and it kept them all from thinking of anything other than their new duties. The only times when their minds were free to wander was in their dreams. All soon realized this, and eagerly looked forward to bedtime.  
  
In the bathtub, Jaz was floating around a huge rubber duck. It's little orange bill smiled happily up at him. He watched it contentedly for a second, before he realized that he was not alone. Hr rose from his crouching position on the floor and turned around. Miss N stood in the doorway in a robe of deep red velvet. It clashed horribly with the pink walls. She smiled at him. Jaz nodded nervously. She had been eyeing him all day.  
"Why aren't you sleeping Jaz?" she asked coming a step closer. Jaz moved a step back. "Haven't you had a hard enough day?" Jaz suppressed a snort. He had done nothing all day but polish her collection of rubber duckies. 'Light work, she had told him.' To better prepare him for the hard labor soon to come. He didn't believe her. Miss N definitely had something up her sleeve. While giving Jaz the light work, Abbe had been told to clean the house in its entirety. And if she did not do so within three days, there would be dire consequences. The house was relatively small, but it was filthy. It hadn't been dusted or swept for at least a year, and there was still the attic to consider. That hadn't been cleaned out in over a decade. Nonetheless, Jaz had to admit that Abbe had done admirable work despite the clothes she was wearing.  
  
"I couldn't sleep," Jaz said in response to the question Miss N had just posed.  
"Indeed," she said raising an eyebrow doubtfully. Jaz nodded, not wanting to say too much. "Do you like my rubber duck?" She nodded to the toy still floating in the tub. She didn't wait for a reply. "His name is Swanson." Jaz nodded again. There wasn't anything to say. Unfortunately, Miss N seemed to want him to say something for a change. "Is this all that there is going to be between us?" she asked sharply stamping her foot on the tile. "Silence and suspicion? I want to know you, and talk to you! I am not the icy woman that you think I am! Can you not understand that?"  
"All I know Miss N, is that you are in league with Lord Darnoc. Just recently, she has turned into my mortal enemy. I don't imagine I'll be able to stomach anything more than what little there is already between us." He stood his ground as her eyes narrowed dangerously. To his surprise, she smiled and came another step closer, causing Jaz to go another step back. His bare calf met up with the cold porcelain of the tub, and he cursed himself for wearing shorts instead of pants, as the cold caused a slight shiver to go up his spine.  
  
As he had feared, Miss N took that entirely the wrong way.  
"There is no need to fear me Jaz," she spoke softly. She reached out a hand. It brushed his cheek, and he suppressed a shudder with great difficulty. "Is the fact that I work closely with Lord Darnoc the only reason that we can't be friends?" Jaz shook his head.  
"No. There are a couple of other reasons."  
"And what are those?"  
"Well, the first one is, you're a bitch."  
  
A shriek of rage split the night, and Jaz remembered Exactly who he was dealing with. She was no servant of Darnoc, but a band witch with powers greater than any he at that moment possessed. He pressed against the bathtub, unable to back up anymore. Miss N grabbed the front of his shirt, and with surprising strength, lifted him and sat him in the tub. Water and lilac bubbled immediately closed over his head. In a moment, he came back up sputtering, and he was lugged back out.  
"You will NEVER speak like that to me again! Is that understood?" Jaz did not move. "WELL?!" She shook him violently. Still, he remained motionless. "Very well," she growled drawing him closer. "I have my own way of loosening tounges." She smiled evilly. Jaz tried valiantly not to show his fear. But it seemed that pain was not in store for him. Closer and closer she came. Her face was practically touching his. He could very clearly see her lipstick. It was orange, the same shade that Mrs. Conrad liked to use, only Miss N used less. And then he realized, lips...close......  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The cry was wrenched from his throat. He stumbled backwards, and cracked his head against a wooden wall. 'Wait a sec...wooden?' His reason fought back to the surface of his brain. 'But the bathroom wall is tile...Then why?" He tried to figure it out. In those few quiet seconds, it came to him. It was a dream. Nothing more. He breathed deeply. He had not met Julia N that night, and he had not called her a bitch. Yet. There was only one problem with his logical theory. His clothes were soaking wet, he smelled of lilac, and he had deep claw marks in his shoulders. 


	13. Screwed up Fashion Sense, or a Time Warp

AN: As much as it pains me, I have to go back into Darnoc mode again. *Takes deep, shuddering breath* I am okay. Maybe, just maybe, this will be interesting. I hope so. I must win back my readers! Okay, to the story then.  
  
Mrs. Conrad drove back from the airport in silence, emotions clashing through her like the swords she had used to play with when she was young. She sighed that had been many many years ago. Her hair had been naturally red then. But back to the emotions. She had her bass drum back, and this made her life easier and better. She also had Knat back. And that was worth almost three quarters of a bass drum to her. One thing saddened her though. True, she was very happy to have Knat back, but that meant that she would have to keep her newly discovered relationship with the balding blonde lady from the run down hotel very low key for awhile. But there was more good than bad in her disposition, so all in all, she was in a cheerful mood as she listened to Knat prattle about random subjects. She parked back at the hotel where the rest of the band was staying. The chaperones were taking the kids sightseeing, so Knat and Conrad had their entire afternoon to themselves.......  
  
*Sad reminiscent Hobbit music starts playing*  
Cassie and Ashley awoke automatically on the fourth day of their enslavement. This day could have been like the others, only it wasn't. Ashley awoke with an odd sense, and judging by the look on Cassie's face she felt it too. All the same, she smiled.  
"What is it Guinievere? Has a shadow and a threat been growing in your mind?" Though still freaked out by the dream she had been having, Ashley rolled her eyes good naturedly and nodded.  
"Yes, you could say that," she replied sleepily. Cassie pouted.  
"Oh come on, reply Lord of the Rings style, it's more fun." Ashley then proceeded to speak a very long string of elvish, and Cassie couldn't even hope to keep up. "Okay, okay you win. We'd better get up in any case."  
"Yeah, we wouldn't want to miss out on our work would we?" Cassie laughed and sprang from the bed. So far, they hadn't done any real work. It was mostly reading poetry aloud to Annod Yawnoc, and discussing various topics with him. He was just like a grandfather to them. He had even specifically said that he had bought them for the sole purpose of funding Tanks trip back to the US. If it hadn't been for the fact that he WAS in league with Darnoc and Tank, Annod would have been a very nice guy.  
  
Cassie's joyous mood was quickly dissipated by the smell wafting steadily nearer. She groaned and clutched her stomach. If she had to eat Irish stew one more time, she would kill the innocent baby lambs in it herself. Long ago she had sworn never to eat an animal that hadn't reached its proper size. So far she had kept that promise, but she could only hold out without meat for so long. She had never eaten lamb in her life and she didn't intend to. She was very pleasantly surprised. Instead of their usual fare of stew, they got a lot of meat, a few vegetables and soda bread. Vellie said it was something called an Ulster fry. Cassie ate it with relish, reveling in the fact that she was eating dead pigs rather than dead baby sheep. She ignored the tomatoes and mushrooms, but both she and Ashley enjoyed the bread.  
  
But while Ashley and Cassie were having their fun, something was stirring. It had been sleeping for close to a thousand years. And it was waking now. Soon the four captured band students would know of their destiny. But not yet. Not quite.  
  
Sitting on a lawn chair in the blood red sunlight of Egarots Moor, Conrad was tanning in an orange string bikini and sipping a banana mama. Luke, her personal servant for a day had brought it to her while wearing nothing but cuffs, a bow tie, and tight fitting black pants. He looked miserable. Little did she know that Luke had a brain behind that sexy baby face of his, and he had a plan. Not a very original one, but still, it was something. She had more important things to think about at the moment. Like the fact that she felt her soul rip free from her body. She gasped and clutched her scantily clad chest. Knat came rushing over.  
"What is it?" he asked concerned.  
"It's gone!" she gasped clutching at air like she was hoping to grab her soul back or something.  
"I think you've had quite enough sun for today my dear," Knat said kindly helping her to her feet. Conrad stared straight ahead. "I'll just lie you down, and I won't leave your side until you feel well again okay? Shall I get something cold for your head?" Conrad nodded without any emotion. Luke watched quietly. For no particular reason, he had a slight inkling of what was going on, and something told him that now was the right time for the beginnings of a rebellion. Help would be arriving shortly.  
  
"In the midst of the word he was trying to say in the midst of his laughter and glee, he was softly and silently vanished away for the Snark was a Boojum you see," Cassie finished reading the poem and a slight shiver ran down her spine. That poem had been a key part in one of her most favorite books, The Forbidden Game. Annod took a small sip of brandy before responding.  
"Yes yes, The Hunting of the Snark. Possibly one of my favorite poems."  
"The guy who wrote it had some serious issues," Ashley said from her chair in a corner. Cassie smiled. She couldn't agree more. Come on, the guy wrote about mushrooms for heaven's sake! Annod frowned thoughtfully.  
"Maybe he did Ashley. Maybe he did. But do we really know if he was mad, or if he had really been there himself?" Silence was his answer. "Okay, that's enough for now I think. How about some music?" Ashley and Cassie got up from their chairs and hurried from the dim study.  
"I think our dear Yawnoc has some serious issues as well," Ashley muttered as they began their long trek to their tower bedroom. Cassie nodded in agreement. It took five minutes to finally reach the staircase that led to the tower and oldest part of the castle still standing.  
  
And then came a wind so sudden and fierce that the two friends were knocked forward onto the sharp, stone stairs. It came suddenly, it stopped suddenly. They scrambled to their feet and looked at one another. Cassie tasted blood in her mouth from her tounge which she must have accidentally bitten, and Ashley had a lump forming on her forehead. She touched it and winced.  
"Okay, what was that?" Cassie said worriedly. Ashley shook her head.  
"No clue, but we should go get our instruments. Yawnoc will wonder what's become of us. Then we can ask him." Without answering, Cassie continued up the stairs with Ashley following. About halfway up, Ashley noticed something on the wall that definitely hadn't been there before. It was a tapestry. A large tapestry map. She leaned in to examine it more closely. In gold embroidery on one side said in fancy lettering Ecitcarp Moor. A circle was below this and it was labeled in smaller writing as Yawnoc Castle. The other side was graced by silver embroidery. The name of the land was Egarots Moor, and another circle was there. This was labeled as Darnoc Castle. Ashley frowned and pointed it out to Cassie.  
"I wonder why it was never there before," Ashley said. "I mean, I don't think it was ever there....Cassie.....Why are you wearing that?" Ashley's eyes had gone big and round. Something was very, very wrong here. 


	14. Past and Future

And Abbe wasn't there. Jaz looked around frantically for his companion, but she was nowhere to be found. Trying to avoid panic, Jaz searched his pockets for a stick of gum. None were there. A cold breeze found its way in through the cracks in the walls, and Jaz shivered, still in his wet clothes, and scrunched himself tightly into a corner. The latch on the door rattled. Jaz hoped it was Abbe and prayed it wasn't Miss N.  
  
"What the?" the exclamation left his lips before he could think. He had no real reason to freak out like that. Only the fact that a slightly transparent little girl in a kerchief and patched dress was standing in the doorway. Her hair was long, red, and curly. Her eyes were a dim green.  
"Sorry to frighten you," she spoke in a hollow echoing voice. "But I am afraid you have little choice in what will happen to you now." Jaz had not time to reply to this outrageous statement. "I have already taken your friend to your destination. You will meet up with her there to recieve further instruction."  
"And where exactly are we going?" He felt a bit stupid asking questions to a kid that was only half his age. She smiled.  
"We're going to the future where you will battle Lord Tank, the heir of Darnoc."  
"Okay, so where are we going?" He had touched a nerve. 'Well good,' he thought watching her eyes go stormy. 'Serves her right for giving me such a demented answer.'  
"JAZ YOU MOCK ME! I AM SACRAFICING MYSELF SO THAT DARNOC WILL FALL! Besides, If you do this, Ashley's chances of survival will double." A sly smile played about her face. As expected, Jaz scrambled to his feet at these words.  
  
"So, we're going to...to the future?" Jaz still couldn't quite comprehend what was going on. "Why?" The little girl rolled her eyes.  
"I told you! So that you can defeat Tank and his army of brass players."  
"Okay, so why is Abbe already there?"  
"I brought her to the future while I was analyzing your little jaunt with Miss N. I had to make sure that you were fit to go into the future see? Abbe is so...unique, that I could take her directly. She's very open to that kind of thing."  
"So Miss N really did kiss me?" He opened his mouth in horror. The little girl's lips lifted in another smile.  
"You would have tommorow night, but you'll know better by the time that actually happens." Jaz's head was spinning. It had taken a lot for him to understand that. And he wasn't what could be called....a moron.  
"So, you said that you'll be sacraficing yourself to see Darnoc fall. Who exactly are you?" A shadow fell across the girl's face.  
"I'm Aiden Darnoc." It took several seconds for this to properly sink in.  
"Darnoc!" Jaz could think of little else to say. Aiden nodded.  
"It's a very long story, and I don't feel like telling it twice, so why don't we just go into the future and get you some dry clothes? Besides, I don't want to keep Abbe waiting. She's a very odd sort of girl. She might float away on a cotton candy cloud or something if I leave her alone too long. Jaz privately agreed, but didn't say anything. His wet clothes were starting to freeze, and he could think of little else at the moment. Aiden made her way closer to him, and he did not move away. Once she had reached him, she slipped a small hand into his. Jaz felt suddenly very big brother like. And then he had to blink. When he opened his eyes, he was in a different place entirely.  
  
Cassie looked down at herself. She was wearing a rich burgundy gown with gold lining on the sleeves and hem. A jewel encrusted handle of a dagger could be seen from a sheath on her belt. her insanely long, brown hair was in two small braids on either side of her head and gathered with a gold clip in the back. Now over her shock, Ashley was laughing at Cassie's clothes.  
"What are you laughing at, you don't look much different!" Cassie said indignantly. Indeed, Ashley was wearing a similar dress in a blue so pale, it was almost white. Only her somewhat shorter hair was allowed to fall free, and a small, silver circlet went around her head.  
"God we look like morons! Why the hell are we like this?"  
"I think we look kinda nice," Cassie replied examining the shiny dagger with interest.  
"Well you might not mind going out in public like this, but I have some dig..." Her words were cut off when a plump, oldish maid glared at them while coming down the stairs. As she retreated, the girls clearly heard her mutter  
"Raising their voices in the Lord's manor! And him ill. What uncoothed guests! They're considered ladies?" Cassie glared after her. As if she had chosen to come here! Ashley looked rather hurt.  
  
At the top of the stairs, they were greeted by a slightly transparent little girl with red hair. Now as you have probably guessed, this little girl was Aiden Darnoc. She told her story to the girls, and gave them several important explanations.  
"You have to go up to your rooms to get changed, your training begins today, and you can't go about that in satin and velvet can you?"  
"What are we training for exactly?" Ashley asked nervously. "And why?" Aiden smacked her hand to her forehead.  
"I completely forgot to tell you! I'm sorry. Well, it's like this. You are seven-hundered years in the past, and you two need to train in the use of swords and such. Your trainers are outside waiting. You should hurry. I can explain more later, but you know men, they hate to be left waiting..." And she shooed them up the stairs and into their room. Ashley still wore a very befuddled expression. If Cassie was in any way alarmed, or confused, she didn't show it.  
  
"We have to wear tights!" Cassie cried in revulsion, holding up the little green leggings. Ashley wrinkled her nose th the assembled clothing, but a desperate look from Aiden gave them some sort of motivation. Aside from the funny, green tights there were also white tunics. They were rediculously embroidered, and the belts were far too fancy, but apparently dressing like this was so uncommon for a lady of title in this place anyways. Cassie supposed she should be grateful she could get out of the gown at all.  
  
Once they were clothes to Aidan's satisfaction, they went through the endless, yet familiar maze of corridors until they reached the great hall and the doors to the outside. Several extremely hairy men were sipping some sort of beverage and talking quietly. They looked at the two new girls curiously as they passed. Ashley hoped very much that those looks were nothing more than curiosity as she followed Cassie and Aiden quickly with her head down. 


	15. Hail the Healing power of Laughter

AN: To my wonderfullest and most loyal reader. I am so sorry that this has so little to do with marching band. I promise that it will all work out in the end. But I am having a slight problem trying to make things work between Cassie and Saber. Oh well, it'll have to I guess. But what will happen to poor, rejected Kyler? Anybody else who is reading this, you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about, so I will end this Author's note and get on with the chapter. FORWARD MARCH! 1234....  
  
He was on a moor. Close by, there stood a crumbling castle that was being rebuilt. A sign near it read: UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, ALL TOURS OF YAWNOC CASTLE ARE BEING POSTPONED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION. The place seemed to be basically deserted. Well except for Abbe and Aiden. Abbe was lying on her back, looking in facination at the clouds. Aiden was bending down to pick up a shopping bag.  
"Come now!" Aiden called. "To the porta potties we go! I daresay you want to get out of that rather moronic outfit Abbe?" Abbe paid little attention.  
"That cloud looks sorta like a llama!" she called to nobody in particular. Rolling his eyes, Jaz strode over to her and yanked her to her feet, despite her outraged protests.  
"What's your problem?" she asked angrily while taking the elastic out of one of pigtails and putting it back in again.  
"Aiden is taking us to change into new outfits," Jaz replied testily beginning to pull her along.  
"So?" Abbe replied in the same tone. Finally, Jaz just snapped.  
"Okay fine! If you want to walk around like an idiot in that mime suit and chase after little imaginary pixies, I'm sure we could all use a laugh. I on the other hand am going to get out of this stupid bow tie and hear what Aiden has to say!" He walked quickly away still seething, although he didn't quite know why he had lost his temper. It was probably just lack of food, and concern about the others.  
Ten minutes later, he wished he had never told Abbe off. How could he ever face her wearing this? Working up all of his courage, he opened the door of the public toilet and stepped onto the grass. The outfit was very light. It clung to him like a second skin. It was silver, V necked, and he was reminded forcibly of the clothes on Saturday Night Fever. It wasn't the fact that he was wearing shiny clothes from the 1970s, he was sure they had become very fashionable now that he was so far into the future. The problem he has with this was that you could see EVERY....SINGLE... curve, line, bump, and crevice from his neck to his feet. The costume was a full body thing, so the coverings on his feet were in no way different from the covering on the rest of him. This was why he so dreaded being seen by anybody.  
  
To his immense surprise, Abbe emerged from the other toilet looking perfectly miserable. She was wearing an outfit similar to Jaz's, only it covered her neck as well. She was glowering until she looked at Jaz. Then a smile broke out on her face, and she began to laugh. Jaz looked her up and down, and a reluctant grin came to his lips. The grin turned quickly into chortles when he noticed Abbe was bent double and tears were running down her face.  
"I....can't....breathe!" she gasped. She attempted to stay the merriment by clapping both her hands over her face and pressing down with all her might. But the mirth would not stay put. It escaped through gaps, sounding nothing like laughter: more like a wide variety of whistles, honks, and squeaks. This was too much for the both of them. Jaz threw his head back, his laughs ringing clear. Abbe simply toppled backwards, and clutched her stomach while her whole body convulsed in a combined effort to laugh and stop laughing. This was how Aiden found them. After fifteen minutes of waiting, her nine-year-old mind hid grown impatient, and she had gone to get them herself. Although still a bit miffed that they had kept her waiting, Aiden was very pleased that they were getting alone so well. She had had her doubts in the beginning.  
  
"So," Jaz said once he had both recovered enough to speak and noticed that Aiden was right there. "you brought us here to tell us how to defeat Lord Tank. How're we going to do that?"  
"With great difficulry," Aiden replied helping Abbe to her feet.. "It is a very long story that involves blood, gore, and destiny."  
"Whose destiny?" Abbe asked trying and failing to roll up her sleeves which were fused tightly to her skin. Aiden smiled. She had been practicing this line for years, and had been dying to finally deliver it.  
  
She looked Jaz and Abbe directly in their eyes. One pair blue, and one pair brown. In a serious voice of deadly calm, she answered. "Your destiny."  
  
She was very angered when the line didn't come out exactly as she had been planning it. But she had been very caught up in contemplating Jaz's eyes. Very brown. Very deep. They looked just like the eyes of a certain blacksmith she had met in her travels two-hundred years ago. Then she amended the thought. Nine-hundred years ago, now that she was in the future.......  
  
AN: That chapter didn't end quite the way I wanted to. I had just wanted it to end with "Your Destiny", but I had to put the eyes in somewhere. Just consider that last paragraph to be an afterthought okay? Thank you! FALLING WATER! REVIEW THIS CHAPTER! I NEED MORAL SUPPORT HERE! and of course, anybody else is welcome to review as well, only don't be too harsh with me. I have a deep phobia of flames. I practically have a heart attack whenever I see review alert. But still review, I get over the nervous fluttering in my stomach after a few seconds....THANK YOU and have a nice day. ; D 


	16. It's Begun

The sun tried valiantly to break through the clouds that were shielding it from the earth, but to little or no avail. The final effect being that it wasn't entirely gloomy for which Cassie and Ashley were very thankful. Far off in a distant field, they could make out two figured talking together. These people were who they were headed for. Little Aiden skipping ahead of them looking quite carefree.  
It didn't take nearly as long as they expected to reach the field, and when they got their first close look at their instructors, their mouths fell open. This was going to be a most satisfactory situation. One was tall and slightly tanned with dark brown hair. Cassie couldn't help noticing that he had enormous hands. She bit her lip to keep from smiling. The other was tall too, but he was slightly leaner than the other. And far more fair with very blonde hair and perfect, unblemished skin. Next to the other man, he looked exceptionally well groomed and very young. But a look in his eyes told them that he had seen far more than the other. Cassie smiled uncertainly at the two men. The dark haired one returned the friendly gesture. The other was staring into the horizon, a look of deep concentration on his face.  
"This is my colleague. His name is Leal Gannon Ailill. He doesn't talk much, but he's a very skilled fighter, and a very good friend of mine." That seemed to be the end of introduction, and he fell silent. Cassie, however, was intrigued by this mysterious, rather scruffy stranger.  
"And you sir? Who are you." The darker man looked at her for a moment.  
"Saber," he answered after a pause.  
"And do I have to call you Leal Gannon Ailill?" Ashley asked of the blonde man, who had come back to Earth. "It's a bit of a mouthful." And so it was for a girl who was accustomed to names like Tom, ZACH, and Dan. He looked at her quickly.  
"You can call me Kyler," he asnswered at last. 'Why so many weird names!?' She thought furiously. 'And Saber! Where does he get off calling himself that!" Cassie on the other hand didn't seem to be too bothered. Ashley grinned. It was painfully obvious, to her at least, that her friend was completely smitten with that particular trainer guy. And she did have to admit,(as she grinned guiltily) that he was not without his charms. The other one was very good too, although he was a bit.....yeah. He and Abbe would probably get along quite well.  
  
"I have news for all of you!" Mrs. Conrad called to her students. "The St. Patricks Day parade is back on!" She beamed around at all of 'her children". Noticing as they tried and failed to look delighted. This sparked her anger a bit, but she didn't show it. After all, it wouldn't matter much one way or the other. It was she, after all who possessed the whistle AND the baton. She refused to make note of the fact that the band would sound like death without the percussion. However, she simply couldn't risk them getting out of control. She would have Tank watch over them while she led the band in the festivities. Having said her bit, she left her class to return to her homeland. It was getting late after all, and she didn't want any of her band to see her as Darnoc. As the door closed behind her, she could clearly hear the beginnings of complaints. She ground her teeth, trying to get a rein on her irritation. Just as she was entering the parking lot, an car screeched to halt in front of her. As she recovered from the shock of nearly being hit, two very angry people got out and slammed their doors. One was an elderly man with a kindly face. The other was a pretty, younger woman who looked ready to kill.  
  
Koil sat up on his pallet eagerly. Luke had just come in to tell him the news. Conrad was gone for the moment! Their only obstacle was Knat. But he was such a sniveling moron, he would be easy to get past. All Luke needed now was a properly formed plan. Just as soon as Knat was not a threat, he would call a meeting.  
  
It was almost too easy. Knat was just standing there, watching the sun set. Paying no attention to anything else. The ground was littered with loose stones from their building. Tank didn't know what hit him, as he slumped to the ground, now in his happy place. Luke dropped the rock, and began to hum their street beat into the night. That was the signal that all could progress. He knew he had to hurry though. Darnoc was due just after dusk.  
  
"What do you mean they're gone?!" Darnoc screeched.  
"I don't know!" Miss N screamed yanking at her hair. "I mean, their bodies are there. Sort of. They're kinda transparent, and I can't touch them. My hand goes right through. I can definitely see them. But they're just lying there! They won't move or speak! I want my money back!"  
"Is it the same with you Annod?" Darnoc asked worried. Annod nodded grimly.  
"I do hope they're alright though," he said. "Lovely children. Remind me of my dear daughter..." Julia N rolled her eyes.  
"Listen, I did not pay you guys for two half visible children who won't do shit! Do you understand me Darnoc?'  
"Silence!" Darnoc yelled whipping out her baton. Immdediately, both of those who had been complaining were unable to move or speak. "I will not be spoken to like that!" She unfroze Annod. "Is Ping-Pong having similar problems?"  
"No," Annod replied. "Both his girls are being brainwashed quite nicely." Darnoc nodded.  
"Good." Then a thought crossed her mind. A bad thought. Just today, she had felt a part of her soul rip free from her body. Now four of the six slaves were ghostly comatosed beings. It was starting.................................................................... ..........................................................  
  
"But Conrad musn't know we've stolen back our drumsticks until the right moment!" Luke declared in near despair. "And we have no idea when that will be, and even if we did, we'll have trouble getting past both Darnoc and Tank......" He trailed off. To his surprise, somebody actually had some useful information.  
"I heard tell that the parade is going to be held," piped Marco LeighMon. He was a very short boy with brown hair. "We'll be left alone with Knat again. We can get rid of him, get our drumsticks, crash the parade, and start the war!"  
"Brilliant Marco!" Luke said reaching over Koil to pat his shoulder. Koil winced as Luke's sun warmed skin brushed his blistering arm. 


	17. The Right Grip

Cassie held the sword like the foreign object it was to her. She didn't understand how the sexy swashbucklers on TV made it look so easy! This thing was freaking heavy, and the fact that she felt she might accidentally kill herself at any moment didn't make it easier. Of course, this was only the first day she had actually held the weapon. She and Ashley had spent the past two days learning to relax their minds and improve their reflexes. She was pretty good at that. But this! The only plus was that she got to work with Saber. And the fact that Ashley wasn't doing too well with HER sword either made her feel slightly better. She had a tendency to keep dropping it and when she did, she would leap out of the way and begin laughing. But their teachers were kind, and indulgent. They didn't get angry or impatient. After all, they remembered when they themselves hadn't been so good. Well, Saber had the nagging suspicion that Kyler had always been good at swordplay and archery. He grinned at Cassie who was holding the sword with two hands, able to lift it, but with very little grace and agility. Finally, unable to stand it any longer, he strode over to her, a slight smile still in his eyes.  
"You're holding it wrong," he murmured. Cassie snorted and glanced over at Ashley who had accidentally driven the point into the ground and was having trouble pulling it out. Kyler came to the rescue, gave the handle a sharp wrench, and pulled it free. Ashley began laughing again.  
  
Coming behind her, Saber bent down a bit so his head was resting against her shoulder, looking at the world from her unremarkable height. Cassie stiffened for a moment in surprise, but relaxed so as to accept his guidance. He steadied the sword with one hand while taking each of her hands in turn so he could position each finger properly on the hilt. Cassie bit her bottom lip again. Not to keep from laughing this time, but to stifle the breathy sigh that threatened to escape her. She mustn't allow him to see through her! This guy was definitely older than she was! 'This guy is far older than me!' she thought feircely. 'Ah yes, but this is the fourteenth century, not the twenty-first,' a sly little voice replied. Her conversation with herself was interrupted.  
"Lady Cascada?" Saber's voice vibrated through her. Why was she being affected like this? She hadn't had a proper crush in three years! She had always been the strong one, offering her friends solid advice during their times of romantic woe. Now here she was practically melting when this guy she barely knew was showing her how to hold a sword......she stifled a groan as she took another look at his hands, and became sure that her mind was too fragile to handle the word 'sword' at the moment. "LADY CASCADA!" His face was now directly in front of hers. His bottomless grey eyes filled with concern. 'The color of the sea before a storm,' she thought dimly.  
"Hmmm? What? I'm sorry. The heat of the day you know...." Saber's frown deepened. It was only just above freezing to his reckoning..  
"Um, Lady Cas..."  
"No, not Lady Cascada," she stated firmly. "That's not my name. It's Cassie."  
"But Aiden said..." The slight glare she gave him made him stop. "Very well then....Cassie. Now let's see if you can grip it the way I just taught you." He took the sword away from her, and gave it back. Cassie placed her fingers precisely the way he had shown her.  
"Very good," he said nodding. Apparently Ashley was making progress too, because a moment later there came a loud  
"YES!" There stood Ashley, holding the sword aloft with one hand and pointing it towards the sky like some immortalized battle hero.  
"All Right Guinievere!" Cassie called laughingly. Saber and Kyler looked rather alarmed. It was most uncommon for the ladies of the court to raise their voices in such a manner. But then again, they were taking sword fighting lessons. They were no common ladies.  
"Well, I say that's quite enough for one day," Saber said.  
"Yes, the day wanes, the sun grows dim," Kyler answered in his smooth, ever thoughtful voice. Ashley smiled. She had grown used to his poetic way of speaking, and she rather enjoyed it. It flowed nicely. As good looking as he was, Ashley was thinking about her stomach at the time. It was nearly time for dinner. Cassie seemed to be thinking along these same lines, only her head was turned wistfully towards her instructor. Ashley rolled her eyes, and grabbed her friend's arm. Cassie allowed herself to be dragged away, but her eyes never wavered.  
  
Even Ashley found herself dressing with particular care that night. She wore the same exact thing she had worn for all of five minutes three days ago. The ice blue gown and silver circlet. She had grown rather fond of the thing. Cassie was already dressed and rubbing silk through her hair to make it all.....silky. This was a trick she had learned in one of her very addictive romance novels. She too was wearing the red gown she had arrived here in. She was in another world entirely, her green/brown eyes staring at nothing in particular as she brushed the extremely long waves. To Ashley, it looked rather difficult, and she was glad she had kept her hair shoulder length.  
"Do you know what this whole training sequence thing reminds me of?" Ashley inquired trying to find the right angle for her circlet.  
"Hmmmm?"  
"Mulan! You know, that whole Be a Man song." Cassie brightened. Mulan was her favorite animated movie in the whole entire world.  
"Hey, youre right! I wish we could learn to fight with bamboo sticks. That is so cool!" She lifted her skirt above her knees and attempted a kigh kick leaping thing off a bench in front of a mirror. It didn't work well. Undeterred, she got up off the floor and began to hum the song Ashley had mentioned. Soon, she was singing it softly. Ashley joined in, and they lost their heads. They were marching around the room, and were getting very into it.  
"Be a man!"  
"You must be swift as a coursing river!"...............  
  
A light knock sounded at the door.  
"Damn," Cassie whined.  
"Ashley? Cassie? Are you decent?" It was Aiden.  
"Yes!" Cassie called while Ashley pulled open the door. To both of their amazements, none other than Saber and Kyler stood behind the small girl. Saber was in a loose fitting red shirt, his weapons, for once, were somewhere else. His hair looked somewhat more tame as well. Kyler, as always, looked impeccable. He was wearing nothing other than pure white, but his shirt caught the light on occasion, and Ashley suspected that little threads of silver were woven in here and there. Cassie was rather embarrassed, and tried to hide her cheeks which were very flushed from exertion.  
"We've come to escort you." Kyler bowed gallantly. Saber inclined his head, feeling rather awkward.  
"We noticed that you turn many heads in the great hall," he added. "We agreed that you might feel safer if you had your trusted trainers to accompany you." 'Awww that's so sweet of them!' Ashley thought.  
"Actually, It was all Saber's idea," Kyler said bluntly. Saber reddened slightly. Only Cassie noticed this. Ashley could feel Kyler's eyes on her, and she became very grateful that she had worn this dress. And of course, Kyler was busy pursuing the girl in blue. The pale color contrasted nicely with her slightly darker skin, and brought out the color of her cheeks. He stepped gracefully up to her, and led her gently from the room.  
  
Ashley felt much more comfortable entering the great hall with this man next to her. The oboxious leers were greatly reduced. Not to mention, she just felt so proud that she was standing with him. His perfect radiance practically lighting up the room. Neither girl could care much about the rising of Darnoc at that moment. Others, however, were in reality, and were growing worried. 


	18. Aiden's Tale

AN: I don't think I've done one of these for awhile, and I find them enjoyable for some reason.  
Diviniti, Thank you SO much for checking out my story. And even more for leaving a good review. It still shocks me every time somebody says that this is good. But they do, and so, I write. FOR HONOUR, FOR GLORY, FOR GOOD LOOKING MEN WEARING TIGHT FUTURE SUITS...  
  
Now that Jaz was no longer humiliated over his rather unique new outfit, he had been looking forward to using futuristic weapons to defeat Tank. It was evident, however, that he would have to wait. Aiden had produced something like a newspaper (only it definitely wasn't made of paper) that said that Lord Tank was more powerful than ever blah blah blah . Jaz didn't see what was so special about it. He raised a quizzical brow at Abbe. She was doing more important things however; drawing smiley faces in the dirt. His gaze shifted instead to Aiden.  
"This news Thing-a-mahoozit will let us know when to strike," she answered his unasked question. Jaz still didn't know what the hell Aiden was talking about. "Lord Darnoc died six hundred years ago," Aiden began. "in full power. When she died, Tank inherited her empire..." She would have continued, but a voice from the ground halted her speech.  
  
"So that news thing will let us know when to strike, because since Cassie and Ashley are far back in the past fighting, if they beat Darnoc that far back, it will prevent her from gaining as much power in the future. The news will change as Darnoc gets weaker," Abbe said this all in monotone as though her intellect was far greater than that of the simpletons with her. Jaz now sort of understood. And was impressed. He stared at Abbe. "What?" she asked innocently looking up. Jaz shook his head.  
"Nothing."  
"But there's something I don't get," Abbe continued. "If Cassie and Abbe destroy Darnoc in the past, then what's the point of Nicole and Jaimie?" At this, Aiden grew thoughtful.  
"You know, I haven't really decided yet. I don't know if they should stay weak in order to motivate the rest of you, or if they should take up arms as well. The only thing I know for certain is that Ping-Pong is becoming quite fond of Jaimie." Abbe shuddered. Poor girl! "But none of my plans are properly formed as of yet. Much depends on Cassie and Ashley and whether or not they destroy...well...me."  
  
So Begins the Story of Aiden Darnoc  
More reminiscent hobbit music starts playing  
  
I had a relatively good childhood. My mother and father were high ranking servants in Yawnoc Castle. My father was a minstrel in the Lord Yawnoc's service. He taught me to play the trumpet at an early age. My mother saw over the Lady Yawnoc personally. She grew rather close to my mother. My father died due to an unfortunate archery accident when I was twelve. My poor mother was devastated, and spent more and more time caring for the Lady Yawnoc. The Lady loved her husband very much, and my mother grew jealous, as the Lady would often abandon Mother for her husband's company. Mother, now fearing to be alone, poisoned the Lord Yawnoc over a period of seven days. So, mother and the Lady Yawnoc, both widows ruled over Ecitcarp Moor together. As a young child, I was poisoned by their bitterness. Mother showed me her true colours. She no longer wanted me, she wanted her power. And that she had. But she wanted me out of her hair. So she had built on the other side of the land a large castle. And there she sent me when I was barely even thirteen with a pack of her trusted guards. They used me in bad ways, and I eventually stopped eating and stayed in my bedroom with the door bolted. But the Cook was sympathetic. She brought me food and made me live again. But then she died too. But she left me stronger than what I had been before I left my mother's care. So I faced the world again. I went out to visit a mad old lady in the wilds. She taught me how music is magic, and she gave me my baton. Very rare fairy wood the handle's made of. And so I came back to Ecitcarp Moor, and I taught those guards a thing or two. They never had any children, I'll just say that..... It wasn't long before I had all those in my service bended to my ways, and I found I quite enjoyed it. I had inherited something from my mother after all. And so it began. Very slowly, but there nonetheless. I eventually went to America, because I had enough money and I was bored. There, I began to teach music, and I "learned" a couple of new instruments so that I could be passed off as a competent teacher. A few years of throwing my baton at innocent percussionists, and I realized that I was meant for much more than this. I wanted to mix my love of music, with my love of torturing innocent lives, thus my new style of band teaching was born.  
  
But that was not enough. No, I needed more! So consumed was I, that I became something unlike myself. I don't know what I am when I become Lord Darnoc, but it's definitely different. And then I met Knat Hale, so alone, so vulnerable, such a good target! I taught him EVERYTHING I knew, and we became very.......close. So I took him to my homeland, and we have been forming plans to dominate the music world ever since. THE END  
  
"So will we be learning to use future weapons?" Jaz asked eagerly. 


	19. Do I Love?

AN: Another Chapter!!!!!! Oh it's so exciting! At the rate I'm going, there'll probably be like 50 chapters in this story....great.....GOOD JOB IN OUR CONCERT GUINIEVERE AND DABBERS!! Yeah, don't ask...I am so sick of playing Disney music. Marching band starts again soon. yay. OKAY Story...right.  
  
"These...are our cool high tech futuristic weapons?" Abbe held the tiny.....she couldn't even bring herself to call it a gun. It was a tiny, silver, plastic, gun shaped, two-year-old toy! She didn't even try to mask her disappointment. She pointed it at the ground and pulled the trigger. There was no noise save for a slight 'whoosh'. And any person can guess what came out the other end. Obviously little jets of coloured light, but the colours were not the boring, overused red and green light. No, what shot out the other end of that tiny gun impressed even Abbe. Little pellets of brilliantly shaded blues and greens with occasional gold. Abbe held the weapon up, impressed.  
"Kick Ass!" She exclaimed. She placed it on the little velcro patch on her hip. Jaz looked at his own gun with a new respect. He wanted to try it out too, but Aiden stopped him.  
"There will be time for that later, but now, before you begin practicing your instruments, you must begin your training in slow motion action.  
"What?!" The reactions were instantaneous. Neither of the new trainees had any idea what the medieval child was talking about. Aiden rolled her eyes good naturedly. Young people these days!  
"I'm sure that you're familiar with the fact that in every decent action movie, the really intense scenes are in slow motion...." Abbe and Jaz nodded. Jaz finally began to comprehend.  
"So wait...we're going to learn how to do stuff in actual slow motion?" Aiden nodded. "Like doing double back flips while still fighting off my enemies and shooting a gun with deadly accuracy?" Aiden's grin told him all he needed to know. "That is so awesome!"  
"I'm glad you think so."  
  
"You know...Cassie, you are getting quite good at the art of swordplay." Cassie snorted.  
"Liar," she said this smiling. "I appreciate it, but we both know that I can barely lift the thing."  
""When I was young, and attempted the sword for the first time, I was just as bad and awkward....." He trailed off, realizing too late his blunder.  
"AHA!" Cassie crowed. "So you admit that I'm bad?" Saber looked at his feet in facination. Cassie looked too. Her mind blanked and she automatically looked back at his hands. Desperately wanting to clear her mind, she glanced at Kyler and Ashley who were talking like old friends. Cassie felt a stab of jealousy. And a small one of annoyance. Would she dare to fall for anybody except Jaz? Kyler ran his hand through his flawless hair. Who in the hell wouldn't fall for this guy?....But still. Jaz. Cassie would have elbowed her, but Saber was sitting between them. He looked rather put out that his friend was sitting far from him. Cassie saw his problem, and smiled sympathetically.  
"I guess we've only got each other for entertainment," Cassie said, indicating with her eyes Ashley and Kyler. Saber raised a brow wryly. Cassie blushed, but smiled all the same. The smile was a bit sly, but it worked.  
"And just what did you have in mind for entertainment O Fair Cascada?" This was so totally unlike her reserved, almost shy instructor. Cassie opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Never, in her entire life, had she been the object of this kind of persual. She loved it! It was really very convenient when a passing servant banged into her arm and caused the wine she was trying very hard to choke down to spill all over her front. It wasn't all that cold, but it surprised her all the same. She jumped and knocked into Saber who had just barely begun to look for a napkin or something. When she jostled his arm, the hideous bit of lace fell into her lap, and Saber, without thinking, went after it.  
  
Ashley and Kyler had stopped their conversation when Cassie had jumped. Ashley laughed so hard at her friend's compromising position. Even Kyler smirked as Saber removed his hand like he had been burned. Cassie looked shell shocked. She relaxed once Saber had moved away a bit. The volume in the room came back and they both became aware of Ashley who was laughing so hard she was gasping and unable to breathe. Kyler's evil smile told them he was heartily enjoying watching his friend embarrassed. Cassie glared at Ashley. She could feel the heat radiating off of her face, and Guinievere was laughing! Oh she would get her revenge! Her glare turned into a painful smile. Ashley winked. Cassie stood up and indicated that Ashley should join her.  
"I am sorry," Saber muttered, hoping he was not the reason she was leaving.  
"Oh it's alright," Cassie replied. "I'm just sticky, and I have a big day tomorrow anyways. I should get some sleep.."  
"We're starting the bow tomorrow," Saber offered.  
"Oh good! I'm sort of good at that!" Cassie smiled, relieved that she might not be hopeless after all. That smile broke some of the tension, and Saber offered a quick one of his own. 'Does he have any idea how good he looks when he smiles?' Cassie wondered. 'Probably not. He doesn't do it much.'  
"Good night La.....Cassie," He looked much more at ease. Cassie nodded, still smiling, but not able to say much. Her heart was pounding too fast. 'I'm PATHETIC!' she raged at herself. 'Remember what happened the last time you let your heart lead you. You chased a guy for ten years before he went for the scummy little preppy punk girls that crawl around your class.'  
  
Now we must remember that all this took place withing like thirty seconds, so Ashley wasn't left waiting long. Cassie joined her, and together they began the trek to their room.  
"So...?" Ashley inquired as they began putting their instruments together for their nightly playing.  
"What?" Cassie asked thickly through the reed in her mouth.  
"You know." Quite suddenly, Cassie let out a cackle and fell backwards.  
"His hands are huge!" She writhed around in hysterics for several moments. Ashley waited for them to subside while playing a bit of Pirates of the Caribbean music that she and Cassie had taught themselves. She was pondering the delicate relationship she was forming with Kyler. It felt like she had known him forever. He was fun and interesting to talk to. It was as though he had seen everything. And he was curious about her world too. He was facinated by the things she told him about. Like french fries, velcro, and remote controls. Then her mind wandered back to Jaz. She hadn't gone this long without seeing him since summer. His face was fading from her memory. She couldn't remember the exact shade of his eyes, or the absolute tone of his voice. Her heart wrenched in pain. And she wondered, 'Do I love him as much as I thought I did?' 


	20. Watch Me

"I have good news concerning the parade!" Mrs. Conrad said to her assembled students.  
"Are we not marching?" someone asked hopefully. That somebody was named Kimmy Fjsdfuiosufjkshfjhaskfljjd. He heralded from somewhere in the South Pacific. He spoke English quite well, but nobody could pronounce his last name, so they just called him Kimmy F. He was a stocky boy with a somewhat dark complexion and dark brown hair. Nobody knew his eye color. They couldn't get close enough to tell as there was always a constant, unpleasant odor hanging around him. He was the school's only male flute player. He wasn't all that great, but nobody wished to tell him so. This was not because they cared if his feelings would be hurt, they just didn't want to open their mouths within a twenty foot radius of him. As was said, he had a nasty smell about him. Okay, now that a whole meaningless paragraph has been devoted to a character who is not all that important, shall we continue? You might want to refer back to the top in case you forgot what was being said.  
  
"No, we are still marching!" Mrs. Conrad said slightly annoyed. "But I have decided, after much consideration, that the percussion is to be marching with us!" There was slightly more cheer after this news was revealed. The band knew they sounded like death without the drums. Everything would be okay again. Indeed, the only person who showed distress at this news was Knat. After Mrs. Conrad, dismissed the rest of the band, he came up to her, a frown evident on his bandaged face.  
"Madam, why are you doing this? You know with their drumsticks the percussionists wield a power greater than your own!"  
"Of course I know that!" Mrs. Conrad hissed. "But I have everything worked out. With the percussionists safely away from Egarots Moor on the day of the parade, there is no chance that they can pull another little stunt like they did the other day." Knat nodded and winced. His head was very painful.  
"But Madam, what about the sticks?"  
"I have special pre-ordered all matching black sticks!" She said satisfied. "They can be used to play the drums, but they hold no power. I am always one step ahead. Luke, I know what you are planning..." She went on in the all knowing voice for some time, before she pulled back to the present location. The sun was beginning to set. For all involved, time was running out.  
  
"So all of a sudden we're in the parade?!" Luke asked panicked. He had called another percussionists meeting right after Marco LeighMon had come back with the news. Marco nodded grimly.  
"She suspects us," Piped Koil. He had been glum lately. It had been about five days since he had learned that his manly attributes were completely useless for anything other than bathroom needs, and he was taking it very hard.  
"How can she possibly suspect us?" Luke challenged desperately. "We have been nothing but good little percussion slaves around her."  
"There is only one way she can know all we are doing." Said a small blonde boy named Miguel Picante.(Yeah, his mother was Swedish and his father Spanish or something. Bear with me)  
"How's that?" Marco asked nervously.  
"Simple," Miguel retorted. "One of us is a spy." The mood grew very tense as all of the fifteen-or-so drummers looked around at all the others, sizing each other up, forming a list of suspects.  
  
"Well, that's no good!" Luke exclaimed. "All this is going to achieve is suspicion. Unless there is any evidence of spying, we're going to assume that's not the case." Miguel shrugged.  
"Okay, if you want Darnoc to take over the world..."  
"Yo! I am the head drummer here!"  
"How so?"  
"I...Have...The...TriToms!"(dunno if its spelled right) The rest of the section nodded in understanding. "So, that done, we need to focus on how we're gonna crash a parade we're already in." Silence was the answer...until,  
"We could steal our real drumsticks and paint them black," Koil responded.  
"Oh yeah! That's a great idea! DO WE HAVE BLACK PAINT?!" Luke was starting to lose patience. And hope.  
"Why don't we just stop the meeting for now, and we'll think of a brilliant plan some time unexpected." Miguel spoke again. Luke took his face from his hands.  
"But the parade is in three days!" He said hopelessly.  
"Trust me," Miguel said soothingly.  
"Yeah I guess." Luke stood up to his full height, which added up to about two more feet than Miguel. Then he removed his shirt to go to bed. The other guys tried hard not to look in jealousy. Except Koil, who did nothing to hide his glare. Luke was added with another worry. A bitter percussionist was very difficult to deal with, and if there was ever a bitter percussionist, it was Koil.  
  
"I am so good!" Abbe crowed after perfectly executing a slow motion somersault.  
"Lovely job," Aiden praised. A few yards off, Jaz was working on jumping while doing high kicks. He was getting a pretty good hang of this as well. He did a lot of karate, so he was well off. "Well, that's enough for one day," She continued. "You've got to practice your instruments. That's going to be the most crucial part in the battle you know."  
"I have a question," Abbe began. "Will Guinievere and Cassie be playing with us or will we be alone?"  
"You'll all be playing together," Aiden answered.  
"Will we see each other?"  
"Shadows only. Well, maybe shadow isn't the right word. More like very transparent, coloured replicas of the people you know." Abbe nodded, and made her way towards the camp that was set up beneath the sky. Jaz followed. As they began to put together their instruments, Abbe voiced a question that had been bothering her for several days.  
"Is your name really Jaz?" Jaz winced. He might have known this would come up. He took a deep breath and turned to face her.  
"No. My full name's Jasper Aran Zimri. Note the initials." It took Abbe a second of deep contemplation. "J.....A.....Z....Oooooh I get it! Jaz! How very clever!" She gave a high pitched laugh, punched herself in the chest, and resumed attaching her mouthpiece to the main part of her instrument. Warm up took all of two seconds, before they took out their sheet music. The song was once that they had played at least years Holiday Concert. The Hallelujah Chorus by Handel. It was the only difficult song they had ever played that still sounded cool, and so they played it. For about an hour they practiced, occasionally talking in between major screw ups. It eventually grew dark to see, but Abbe was quite pleased wit herself. Out of all the times they had played it through, she had only messed up about fifteen times. Jaz/Jasper had never messed up because he was the best saxophone player in the world. Unfortunately, it was not really he who mattered. Jaz knew this, so he tried to coach Abbe as much as he could. Abbe would later admit that she learned much better by him than the opressive, nitpicky, screaming, cussing, temper tantrum method that was Conrad's excuse for teaching. It soon becam too dark to distinguish an A from a C, and they had to call it quits. Abbe felt that she had improved immensely as she lay beneath the stars. Several feet off, she could hear Jaz breathing, and she knew that he was in the peaceful oblivion that was slumber. As she looked at the pale profile of his sleeping face, she felt that perhaps they had a chance after all.  
  
Far away from anything abnormal or dangerous, a young woman slept. She had sixteen years to her name, and she had lived each and every one of them to their fullest. Little did she know how perilous the situation of her friends had become. She was here on holiday with her parents and her younger sister. Though she had been here before, she found the sheer age of this country overwhelming. Her father had surprised her with this trip. She had known her friends were coming here for a band trip, and that they were to march in the St. Patricks Day parade. Then suddenly, she had been told that she would be able to see them perform. The parade was little more than two days away, and she was very eager to see the looks on her friends' faces when they saw her here, camera in hand. She smiled in her sleep at the thought. A draft from a window previously closed woke her. She opened her eyes blearily, and saw a little girl standing near the foot of the bed.  
"Do not say a word," she spoke softly so as not to awaken the others. "You have been to many strange lands, not knowing what it is you seek. I have seen you from afar, ever knowing that this day would come..."  
"Who are you?" the one who had been sleeping asked. If she had been any more awake, she would have awoken her family, and seen what this was all about by lamplight, but she was still a bit out of it.  
"I am Aiden of Yawnoc." The other nodded as if she had no questions whatsoever.  
"I'm..." The other had no chance to respond.  
"There is no time Allysson! We must hurry! Get up, there is no time for delay," Aiden interrupted.  
"How did you know my name?" Allysson asked baffled as she stumbled from the warmth of her bed.  
"No time!" Aiden hissed tossing Allysson a pair of bunny slippers to wear on her feet.  
"What about my parents?"  
"Worry not!" Aiden assured. "Your father knew that this day would come."  
"Why? How?"  
"He's a teacher! They are all united against Darnoc...well, at least most are."  
"Who?"  
"Oh, the Home Ec. teacher is evil, everybody knows that..." They were hurrying down the hallway now.  
"No, I know that teacher is evil....I meant, who on earth is Darnoc?"  
"Evil sorceress. No time to explain now. Your friends are in great danger."  
"Who? Abbe? Cassie?"  
"No! Well, yes they are, but they're not the ones I'm worried about."  
"What's the matter?" Her question echoed into the deserted parking lot.  
"I'll explain while we drive."  
"Drive what?" Allysson's question was answered when Aiden pointed to a shiny, red sports car which was parked very crookedly. "You can't drive that!" She exclaimed. Aiden's face had taken on a rather evil smile.  
"Watch me," she replied pulling a key ring from a pocket in her tattered, brown dress.  
"But you can't be any older than nine!" Allysson protested as she got into the car.  
"Nine and a half," Aiden muttered. "Buckle up." 


	21. Betrayal

Getting where they were going didn't take long at all. But what suprised Allysson even more was the fact that there was still rubber on the tires when Aiden stopped. Even if it was only ten minutes until she did so. Actually, Allysson wasn't really paying attention to how long the journey was taking, She was far to busy trying to unstick herself from the window. All the sharp turns had ensured a permanent bond between her and the glass. Until, at last, Aiden shoved the steering wheel right (Ireland). Somehow, she ended up in the back seat. On of her bunny slippers was dangling precariously, and her clorox enhanced, white nightgown had a wrinkle in it. Horrified, Allysson hid it as best she could. All too soon, but not soon enough, the car screeched to a halt. Allysson flew forward and smashed her face into the passenger seat in front of her, before she flew back and hit the seat behind her. Not incredibly soft, but her life was spared. Thanking God and fate and everything in between that she was still alive, she opened the door and stepped out. Aiden was already at her side.  
"Wow! That was great! Have you seen my keys?"  
"What are we doing here?! Absolutely nobody is around!"  
"Oh, no, this is where your friends are being kept. I know, it's a bit difficult to see at half light, but..."  
"Which friends? Why? You do realize that you explained nothing to me while you 'drove'." Aiden winced, and stopped toying with her hair.  
"Yes, you're right of course. Ummm." She squinted into the darkness at the side of the road. "Do you see that light there?" Allysson squinted too. A dim orange glow could just be seen some distance away. It was hard to tell just how far. She nodded. "There dwell Jaimie and Nicole. Miserable slaves to Ping-Pong."  
"Jaimie and Nicole are Here? Well, I ought to call their parents...they're frantic about them." She was about to reach into her bag for her cell phone before she realized that she owned neither. She rolled her eyes in ill humor. "Okay, so what about the others?"  
"Ashley and Cassie are seven hundred years in the past, and Jaz and Abbe are seven hundred years in the future," Aiden replied, searching her pockets for the eighth time for the damned keys.  
"Oh Jaz is involved too?" Allysson asked interestedly. "But why am I here?"  
"Don't you get it?" Aiden shrieked. She tried to grab Allysson's shoulders to shake her, but she was too short, so she settled for her waist instead. "We need Jaimie and Nicole!"  
"How?"  
"I don't know! Strength in numbers! Something! Besides, Ping-Pong has been hitting on Jaimie almost nonstop since she got here. Nicole is terrified she's going to get raped in her sleep, and Jaimie has developed a phobia of raw chicken! They are losing their minds! We must get them out!"  
"Okay, okay! But once we do get them out, will you tell what the hell I'm doing here?" Aiden nodded absently.  
"Are you sure you haven't seen my keys...well, technically, they're not mine...." Allysson reached across the little girl to extract the keys from the ignition.  
"These keys?" They were snatched from her hand and put safely in a pocket.  
"Thanks." With that, Aiden led a befuddled but silent Allysson to the source of the light.  
  
As they got closer, the light got slightly stronger. It was coming from beneath a large, blue tarp propped up on sticks. Not far behind it was a shack practically in shambles. But it was inside/beneath the tarp where the action lay. Two very weak voices were chiming, going into harmonies. It was a ballad of sorts, only it was in a language that Allysson had never heard before. It sounded Japanese or something. Suddenly worried, she hurried forward and drew back the flap of the tarp.  
  
"AHHH THE CHICKENS HAVE COME! I KNEW IT!" Jaimie shrieked without thinking. She whipped around, her eyes wild. Once she registered who it was, her face relaxed. "It's okay," she told Nicole who was cowering in a corner shaking. "It's just Allysson." Then she turned away, and began swaying to a different song. And humming. Just before she got caught in the rhythm too, Nicole crawled up to her and clutched her leg..  
"I can sing.....every word......of The Iliad...in the original.....ancient Greek!" She took a deep, shuddering breath as though ready to calm down. "GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!?!?" Jaimie swayed on, oblivious to all else but the song in her head. Allysson tried to remain calm. Where was Aiden?  
"It's okay, I've come to rescue you... I think. Anyway, come on! Get up!" Hope flared in Nicole's eyes for a second, before it dimmed and she slumped to the floor.  
"Can't....go on," she gasped. Her eyes closed. Jaimie was on her back snoring lightly, occasionally twitching.  
"NO!" Allysson said firmly. She grabbed onto Nicole's ankle and began to drag her away. Nicole groaned and smacked her hand away. Allysson, who was already in a rather bad mood, got a bit crabby, and started giving Nicole a piece of her mind. Such was her anger, that she didn't hear the footsteps coming towards them. Footsteps that were definitely not those of young Aiden. Allysson's wits came back to her when she heard Jaimie begin yelling.  
"Ping-Pong! Come quick! Somebody's in here and she's plotting with Nicole for our escape!" By the time Allysson heard that, it was too late. The tarp was thrown back, and she was staring at the hugest man in the entire world. In the time it took to analyze the situation and scream, both she and Nicole were stuffed into an iron barred cage, and Jaimie was walking away with Ping-Pong. 


	22. A Dream, A Love, A Theory, A Rescue

Ashley jerked awake. Her sleep had not been all that restful. It was riddled with dreams. One had involved Nicole, Jaimie, Allysson, and the big man who had bought the previous two. Her most recent, had been far more interesting. She and Kyler had been...getting to know one another on the shore of a secluded brook. Her face flamed at the memory, and she flipped her pillow over to the cooler side. During a lull, in which Ashley and Kyler were just sitting there, there came crashing sounds from the woods. Conrad, in a bearskin dress, was sprinting through the trees, intent on Ashley. Cassie came running as well, followed closely by Saber. Cassie went to stand by Ashley and Kyler while Saber went to slay the loathsome Conrad. They hadn't been staring at her dead body for too long, when the entire band, in full uniform, cam marching in. How they managed to stay in line and in step was nothing short of dream magic, as there were many trees and rocks that could have hindered them. They halted, and started cheering at the sight of Conrad. They began to sing Free at Last. All except for Jaz who was looking At Ashley with resentment, hurt, and jealousy written all over his face. Ashley felt guilt stab at her, and as a distraction, she looked over at her friend who was wearing a random green cloak, and was wrapped in Saber's arms. Jaz was still looking at her. As was Kyler. She knew a moment of panic, and that was when she was awakened.  
Sunlight was streaming into the room, Cassie was looking at her sleepily, and they were late for their archery lesson.  
  
"What on Earth were you thinking Aiden?!" Allysson hissed. Aiden was several feet below the cage looking quite frightened. Dawn was approaching, and soon Ping-Pong would be out to check on his new captive. There was very little that could be done. Nicole seemed brought to her senses by Jaimie's betrayal. Her eyes were alert, and her mouth in an angry line.  
"It's not my fault!" Aiden pleaded. "How was I supposed to know that Jaimie was only faking loyalty to our side?"  
"Because you are the wise, all knowing person in every single good versus evil story!" Nicole said. "And, not to mention, I am starving. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've had macaroni and hot dogs?" She shook the bars in despair. "I WANT OUT!" Aiden shook her head sadly.  
"I can't. I'm only nine and a half, I can't be trusted with keys yet, and besides, I can't reach." She backed away as Nicole snarled. Suddenly, Aiden was vanished. Allysson groaned in dread as she saw who was coming towards them.  
  
Ping-Pong looked happier than Nicole had ever seen him. Jaimie looked pained, but was smiling nonetheless.  
"How are you doing?" she asked. Nicole glared.  
"I've been quite a lot better actually" she said through clenched teeth. Jaimie shrugged, and stepped closer to Ping-Pong, who said nothing. For at least twenty minutes, he stared at them. He seemed to enjoy it very much. Twice, he ate one of his own braids, and finally, growing bored, he and Jaimie walked away. Nicole slumped back, thoroughly depressed. The day dragged on, night fell, and both prisoners had to resort to each other for warmth. This was very unsettling for Nicole, as she didn't much enjoy touching other people. Finally, as they were both nodding off, they heard a creak, and the door to their cage swung open.  
"What the...!"  
"Shh!" Jaimie's voice pleaded. "We're getting out of here! I got Ping-Pong to tell me everything, and we need to go to Egarots Moor to help the drummer people!" Nicole was far too hungry to ask questions. She leapt out of the cage with little thought to the sound she was making. "Quiet!" Jaimie begged. "If Ping-Pong wakes up...!" Allysson managed to climb out far more quietly and gracefully. When they were by the car, Aiden turned up, and handed Jaimie the keys smiling. She situated herself in the front passengers seat, planning to give Jaimie directions.  
  
"Well, don't you see? If I hadn't pretended to be in league with Ping-Pong, we all would have ended up in that cage, and we wouldn't be here," Jaimie explained while she drove. "And besides that, once he had taken in a few margaritas, he told me everything."  
"Umm..Jaimie, exactly what did you have to do in order to gain his trust completely?" Nicole asked uncertainly.  
"Well, at least it's a good night to travel. Am I going the right way Aiden?"Jaimie asked in a slightly raised voice, and Nicole decided that she didn't really want an answer to her question.  
"It's not much farther now!" Aiden said after about an hour. She said the same thing after another hour, and another. It began to grow light. And there, in the distance, was the black outline of a most formidable castle. "My home," said Aiden bitterly.  
  
It suprised both friends that neither Kyler, nor Saber seemed the least bit antagonized that they were late. Indeed, when Ashley and Cassie found the two men, Kyler was shooting arrows at a well worn target, and Saber was sitting on a large rock smoking a pipe and watching with a smile in his eyes.  
"Ah, Saber, look who has finally decided to grace us with their presence," Kyler said, not even turning around. But Saber did. He practically scrambled to his feet, and extinguished the pipe. 'Ah, such a gentleman,' Cassie thought dreamily, smiling. Kyler made his way to them as well, a grin also evident. Well, it was more a friendly smirk. Sexy to the core. Ashley's knees went weak. She grinned back at Kyler, and strode up to the target.  
"Sorry we're late," Cassie said softly to Saber.  
"No matter," came the equally soft reply. Their moment was interrupted by a loud thud. Cassie looked around to see the fletching on an arrow embedded deep in the bulls eye quivering. Kyler was more than a little impressed. Cassie wasn't half bad either, but she still messed up sufficiently so that Saber had to come and correct her. He wished Ashley would do something wrong so he could do the same, but she was almost flawless with that bow. Life was just not fair was it?  
"You're in love with that long haired vixen aren't you?" He asked of Saber teasingly, later that night.  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Saber replied testily. "Besides, you seem to be getting along fine with her friend!"  
"Oh her!" Kyler said dismissively, but he didn't entirely meet Saber's eye. "Okay, fine!" he glared at the look on his friend's face. "But I'm not nearly as bad as you are with Her! I know it, her friend knows it. And you know it deep down."  
"Yes, but you know everything," Saber said in his defense.  
"That's not the point!" Said Kyler exasperated. "The looks you give that girl make me lose my appetite. Just do something! She won't resist."  
"But if she does..."  
"She won't. I know everything, remember?" Saber rolled his eyes, and said goodnight at his own door.  
  
"I've got it!" Cassie said triumphantly as she changed from her special dinner clothes.  
"What?" Ashley asked already in bed. She had been right on the verge of remembering Jaz's eyes when Cassie had spoken.  
"Middle Earth is in the Bermuda Triangle!"  
"You're crazy."  
"No! Don't you see, people disappear, and nothing of them is ever found of them, and it's on Earth, but you have to go across water to get to it!"  
"You're crazy."  
"I'm sorry, I'm an only child."  
"So am I."  
"But it makes sense!"  
"Yah okay."  
"Just admit it makes sense."  
"It makes sense."  
"Does it really?"  
"Cassie?"  
"Hmmmm?"  
"Shut up." 


	23. The First Skirmish

"This is where you live?" Jaimie asked stopping the car.

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Aiden replied.

"So why are we here?" Allysson questioned. She straightened her nightgown around her ankles after she got out of the car.

"We have to distract Knat, get the drumsticks, go to the parade, and help the percussionists crash it." All looked in surprise at Jaimie, who was not exactly a brain surgeon. Aiden smiled.

"Well then. The parade is in five hours. The percussionists are already on the road to meet the rest of the band. Conrad is with them. Jaimie, you know what you must do. Don't come back until you hear the signal" Jaimie pursed her lips in complete distaste, but she nodded and walked off. "Okay. Nicole, you and I will keep watch. Allysson, take this key and go up the stairs until you see a big wooden door marked PERCUSSION SLAVES' DRUMSTICKS. It's in big red letters, you can't miss it. For a change, Allysson asked no questions. She accepted a key that was roughly the length of a cereal box's height, (I hope that makes sense) and went off to do her task.

"How did you get that?" Nicole asked. Aiden met her eyes.

"It's mine."

"Hi Knat, I haven't seen you in awhile." Knat whipped around, and smiled as he recognized Jaimie.

"What are you doing here? You're not in band." Jaimie grinned.

"I came just to see you." Inwardly, she was disgusted by how easily seduced he was. He abandoned his post without any hesitation when she suggested that they go somewhere more secluded to talk. He was like a moth drawn to light, the way she practically led him around.

It was almost too easy. Allysson was thinking as she put the drumsticks into a makeshift sack made by her huge, billowing nightgown. She'd barely even had to climb any stairs to get to the marked door. She was even a bit unhappy that none of her athletic skills had had to be put to use. Still, she was unwilling to linger there. Not wasting any time, she left the fortress and met back with Aiden and Nicole.

"Excellent work!" Aiden praised when Allysson triumphantly held out the many, multicolored sticks. Without further ado, Aiden cried a very loud, very high pitched battle cry. Nicole and Allysson winced and covered their ears. Less than a minute later, Jaimie came running.

"I knocked him out with a rock. Thank God you called when you did, he was trying to get to third base with me." They shuddered in unison.

"Well, we haven't got much time. We have a war to start here! Let's GO GO GO!" Aiden herded them all back into the car.

The percussionists were sullen. Koil was in pain. The marching uniform was rubbing against his burns. They all knew that it was now pretty much hopeless. Darnoc would prevail. They lined up in back of the band, and were given their special black sticks. Luke looked at his own pair with contempt, and attempted to break them on his knee. It didn't work. He was sick and tired of magic.

Conrad was in her element. She was practically wiggling in glee.

"FEET!" She screamed.

"Together!" The band replied with just enough gusto to keep her satisfied.

"STOMACH!"

"In!"

"SHOULDERS!"

"Back!"

"ARMS!"

"Forward!"

"CHIN!"

"Up!"

"**EYES!**"

"With Pride!"

"That was Crap!" Conrad bellowed. "**I SAID EYES!**" While her own were bugging out of her head.

"WITH PRIDE!"

"That was better! Mark Time! one, two, three, four!" And so it began. They marched, with doom in their hearts and regret in their minds. It was over.

It was impossible to get through all the traffic due to the parade. Even with the sexy car they were driving, so they had to chase the band on foot. Allysson ran ahead to tell her father to distract Conrad any way that he could. And Conrad was easily distracted. All Allysson's father had to do was tell Conrad what a wonderful band she had, and she was all off telling him how honored she was that she was their instructor and all that wonderful crap. The band marched on, all with glazed looks on their faces, unaware of anything but the beat the percussionists were providing. Jaimie and Nicole moved amongst the drummers, passing back drumsticks. It was a difficult task, as they still had to march while taking them back, and playing the street beat at the same time. By the time the band president, a skinny-as-hell girl with an ill favored look about her blew the whistle twice to signal the roll off, all of the percussionists were prepared. After the roll off, instead of playing America on Parade, as they were supposed to, played their beginning part to Hawaii 5-0. The back of the band heard them, and, brainwashed as they were, played their own instrumental parts without question or second thought. Quickly, the middle and front of the band caught on, and all of them played Hawaii 5-0, quickly going into a simplified version of Stars and Stripes Forever. All of them taking the lead of the percussionists, as it should always have been.

Of course, Conrad eventually noticed something was wrong. She tried to stop their playing, but they were so loud, nobody could hear her. All of the people on the sides of the road were applauding the band on top of it all. She even went so far as to step in front of the flutes to stop them marching, but they kept going. She had demanded that they run anybody in their way over after all, and all had been dying for such an opportunity for years now. Especially if it was Conrad. She gave up after awhile, and let them go to their stopping point. They played several new songs including Keeper of the Flame, and The Marines Hymn. Also, they ended up playing anything they had memorized. Their C scales, their pep rally snippets, Pomp and Circumstance. By the time they arrived at their stopping point, Conrad was getting very weak. Eventually, she sat on the ground, breathing deeply. The band had been ordered to stop by the President, and they were always forbidden to leave their positions before Conrad ordered it, so they stood in place silently, praying that she would give the word soon. Their uniforms were hot, and their black felt cowboy hats were slipping gradually down their foreheads. Nicole and Jaimie caught up again, and went to the band. Jaimie dismissed them, and they were so relieved that they didn't think anything of it as they left to change into their blessedly normal clothing. Nicole, for her part, was hungry. And when she was truly hungry she was truly pissy. In her eyes, it was all Conrad's fault that she was here. Which it pretty much was anyway. And an empty stomach did funny things to her judgment. She strode up to Conrad, and offered a hand to help her up, smiling sweetly.


	24. The Sides, and the Odds

"Here, let me give you a hand," Nicole spoke in a honeyed voice. Gratefully, Mrs. Conrad reached out to grasp Nicole's wrist. She was hauled to her feet, and was on the point of muttering a half hearted 'thank you' before she went to tell off the rest of the band. "After all, you're getting so old that all that walking must have really done a number on you." Mrs. Conrad's eyes flashed as she wheeled around to face Nicole. After a second, she forced a painful smile.

"Yes. It seems I am aging rather quickly these days." Nicole nodded eagerly in agreement.

"Hell yes you are. I mean, I haven't spoken to you since I was in the sixth grade five years ago, but in that time your boobs have dropped at least six inches. And It's not that I check them out or anything, but It's kind of hard not to notice when you wear those skin tight little sweaters with kittens on them." Mrs. Conrad's face turned the color of ketchup, and she began to tremble slightly with barely suppressed anger.

"Detention for you!" She spat. "The first school day back in America!" Nicole began to laugh. Jaimie watched, fearful of the outcome. She had a feeling that something bad would happen if Nicole continued to provoke Conrad, but at the same time, she was afraid to go and tell Nicole to knock it off.

"Do you honestly think this is still as simple as a detention for broken rules?" Nicole asked. "Do you truly believe that we aren't way beyond that?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Mrs. Conrad said in a voice of forced calm. Nicole snorted.

"Don't you? Well then, I'm terribly sorry **LORD DARNOC**!" Mrs. Conrad gasped. Nicole stood back, smiling grimly. Somehow, she knew that this had been a necessary action.

The majority of the band students had finished changing and had come outside to inhale some cooler air, and they all stared in horror at the transformation taking place. She was growing taller, her hair was turning a brighter orange, as were her lips. Her skin turned an inky black. Her hair lengthened, but it stuck straight out horizontally, and her eyes turned the yellowish-green color of numbers on a digital alarm clock. Only one did not seem very perturbed by this. His name was Jesse Sevens. He played the alto sax, and he was a very good friend of Koil's Both of them carried little tiny cell phones, and they mailed one another frequently. Koil had been telling Jesse everything. About all of their percussion meetings, about Luke and his determination to see Conrad overthrown. And Jesse, in turn, had been telling Conrad everything. Without Koil's knowledge. She gave him little chocolates as rewards, so he figured their partnership was a win-win situation. He wanted more from her of course, but he was unwilling to risk their friendship, Especially since she was really very infatuated with Knat. Jesse and Knat didn't get along well anyway. But that's besides the point.

"I never liked you Nicole. You weren't possessed of the gift, and so you were always a flat in my perfectly in tuned world. Why couldn't you have just stayed in chorus?"

"Well then my quitting band was a gain for both of us then wasn't it?" Nicole said cheerfully, with a hint of fire behind her words. "Because you are without a doubt the bitchiest, most PMS affected 'woman' to ever cross the threshold of Miltonborgo High. With the obvious exception of the Home Ec. Teacher. But then, I don't suppose you get PMS anymore, so you've run out of excuses. You're just a bitch. A manlike, drooping, ancient bitch."

"THAT…IS……ENOUGH!" Darnoc sputtered. We will speak with the principal when we get back, and you will be suspended! You have no grounds for speaking to me in such a manner!"

"What? Throwing batons and sharpened pencils at kids' heads isn't grounds enough?" Nicole shouted, exhilarated by this new powerful feeling she had. "Well, how about making your students play outside in the snow in freezing temperatures? That's not even legal!"

"It's only illegal if you're caught!" Darnoc yelled shrilly. Nicole went on, not really hearing the towering monster.

"Yes, you know what? Why don't we go and speak to the principal? And then I will tell him _everything_ that's been going on in your classes. Everything that we've been keeping quiet. Including your relationship with Knat. I'm almost certain _that's _illegal." Darnoc looked worried for a moment. But only a moment. A cruel smile twisted about her neon orange lips, and she whipped her baton out of a fatty flap in her skin. (She was wearing only a long, loincloth type thing, and a strip of cloth to cover the private parts _up there_) In less than a second, Nicole was on the ground. Motionless, soundless, barely breathing. Jaimie rushed to her side.

"What did you do to her?" she shrieked.

"Well, when I cut the students off after songs, they are forbidden to move or make any sound. It's a lot like all of the other bits of magic that come out of this baton. Well this one makes miss chatterbox unable to very much except breathe. Of course, if you leave it on the victim too long it will eventually kill them. That might be her fate, but I highly doubt it. I will win this little war quickly. Then the world will be mine, and I can let us all go home again.

"You will NOT win!" Jaimie exclaimed. Her voice was uncharacteristically loud. Darnoc laughed.

"Don't be stupid girl! I have Knat and Jesse on my side as well as the brass players, the band mothers, and Julia N, Annod Yawnoc, and Ping-Pong! There is no chance that you will win! NONE!" Jaimie merely smiled as Aiden came to stand by her.

"Well, at least they've got me on their side," she said.

"YOU!" Darnoc hissed, this time with a hint of real fear in her voice.

"Yes. Remember me? Well, perhaps not. But you will never have truly lost this war as long as I'm alive. Unfortunately, if you kill me, you will die too. So now where do we stand?" Darnoc mouthed wordlessly, and she clutched her baton, longing to put little Aiden under the same little spell as Nicole. Aiden smiled, knowing that Darnoc could do no such thing and still be powerful.

"Tank! To me!" she barked finally. And the short, hideous little man appeared seconds later, clutching a bleeding lump on his head. He glared at Jaimie for a second before Darnoc swooped them both up, and they disappeared. "THIS IS WAR!" her voice sounded distantly.

Aiden looked around at the rest of the assembled band members. The brass players, Jesse, the band officers, a few other band students and the band mom chaperones had all disappeared with Darnoc. All that remained were two third clarinets, four alto saxophones, one tenor, and a bunch of flutes, most of whom, it was immediately clear were not so against Darnoc that they were willing to fight a war. So that left nine actual band members, two outsiders that were actually conscious, and the percussion. And it would be the percussion that Darnoc would try to take back first. Personally, Jaimie didn't think too much of their chances. And judging by the look on Allysson's face, she didn't either. Especially since they had no place in the band. But as long as Aiden knew what she was doing, she supposed there was a slight chance that they could prevail. A lot depended on the outcomes of the battles fought in the past, and those battles were coming up quickly. Well technically, they had already happened, but still. Jaimie's head began to spin, so she stopped thinking about it. More important, was the impending bloodshed.


	25. Odd Conversations

Annod Yawnoc had gone to aid Darnoc in her castle, so Aiden had decided to set up headquarters at his old manor. Kimmy F had decided at the last moment to join with Aiden, so they now had ten band members on their side. Okay, still not very comforting, but maybe Kimmy's distinct odour would keep the enemy away. Not comforting at all.

"The time is near," Kyler said in his all knowing voice, while looking at a cloud. "See that?" he said, indicating the puffy, white object. "It's in the shape of a leopard. It means there are enemies and rivals gathering around us. I fear what this says for our future." He looked rather pointedly at Ashley, who looked away after a moment's eye contact. She had dreamed about Jaz the previous night. He had called her his 'lil Dor' whatever that meant. Her head spun in confusion. Who knew if they would live through this? Who knew if she would see Jaz again? Even if she did, the chances were that Jaz didn't return her feelings. Kyler, on the other hand showed blatant interest in her. She sighed, almost angrily. Dammit, but what she wouldn't give for a piece of Winterfresh so she could mull these disturbing new things over properly.

Cassie watched her friend with a growing concern. Lately, she was becoming withdrawn and depressed acting. Of course, Cassie was used to this. It was Ashley's nature and part of what made Guinievere Guinievere. She most often got like this when she despaired over her and Jaz, or rather the lack of her and Jaz thereof. Idly she wondered whether that was even his real name. Ashley's strange moods always had a strong effect on Cassie. Even as she stood listening to Kyler's dire predictions, she longed desperately for her CD player so she could listen to her special, romantic, sappy CD and cry her heart out with her Teddy bear Cubby. Both were in her carry on bag, seven hundred years from the here and now. But this time, Ashley's depression phase struck her like a punch in the stomach. An odd, aching feeling lodged itself permanently in her chest, and she was almost always close to tears. The only way to relieve this was to take a deep breath once every ten seconds or so. She did this for the umpteenth time that day, and then made the mistake of looking straight at Saber with whom she was practicing sword play. The horrible feeling came back full measure, and she failed to block what would have been an easy parry. Saber's blade sliced straight across the flesh at the top of her hand, leaving a long gash from her thumb to her pinkie. Saber dropped his sword before Cassie even had a clear idea what had happened. Almost before the pain had registered, her hand was in his, and he was apologising profusely. Her eyes widened as her blood began to stain his hands. And, of course, since she had looked, the pain came. A searing agony that made her arm from the elbow down feel as though it was on fire.

She was quickly taken aside, and Saber ripped a piece from the bottom of his own dark red shirt to make a bandage. After he had finished wrapping it tightly about her hand, Cassie held it up to examine.

"Well, everything blends quite well," she admitted, attempting pathetically to make light of the situation. Saber smiled weakly.

"We should stop lessons for today, so I can get you back in the castle to put some healing salve on the cut." he said.

"Don't be stupid!" Cassie replied. "It was my fault anyway. I let my attention wander." Her face reddened slightly as she remembered where it had wandered to. "Anyway, I still need practice. A lot of it."

"Yes you do," he said without thinking, and then smiled at her fierce glare. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, since you insist, we'll practice for another hour. But if your hand starts really bothering you, you'll tell me." It wasn't a request. Cassie nodded and took up her sword again.

"So, when you say the time is near, how near is it exactly?" Ashley asked of Kyler. She had been the only one actually listening to him. Kyler looked down at her, and she was struck b how much taller he was.

"I do not have hope that peace will last another two days." Ashley gulped.

"So, it'll just be the four of us? Fighting with primitive tools against Darnoc?" Kyler frowned at her like she was insane.

"Of course not. This castle is well fortified, and you can be sure that Darnoc will have all of her soldiers and knights with her too. We won't be alone." Ashley didn't know whether to be comforted or not. She was pondering with great sincerity, her practice on the bow completely forgotten. And then…something changed. She didn't know what. There was no wind or anything. Nothing moved. Nothing happened. But she felt in her heart that something was drastically different. Cassie had noticed it too. She had to fling herself to the ground to stop from being sliced again by Saber as her concentration waned. Again.

"Cassie, what is the matter with you?" Saber demanded helping her to her feet. "I can understand one life threatening mistake, but two? Two in less than three minutes?"

"Shhh," Cassie hissed. For there was now a noise. Ashley heard it as well. A voice. A strange voice spanning over ages of time to reach her. A voice so strange, yet so achingly familiar. A voice which was on the verge of being deep and gritty, but not quite over that fine line. It was…..but it couldn't be.

"Ashley!"

"Jaz?"

"ASHLEY!!!!!!!" Ashley squinted around, trying to see if he was real. "By the dead tree!" Odd, there were no dead trees. Just a rather young oak that was only half her height. But then, she caught a flash of silver, and there he was. She could see right through him, but he was there. All thoughts left her mind. Everything instinctively focused on his face. Throwing all feelings of caution or embarrassment to the wind, she catapulted towards the object of all her recent dreams, intent on hugging him with fierce intensity, and never letting go.

When Jaz saw her, he couldn't believe his eyes. She was there, just as lovely as he remembered. He called to her, wanting to see her face fully. When she caught sight of him and started running like the bats of hell were at her heels, he grinned, rather eager to have her in his arms again. He was preparing himself for a jarring impact that never came. A thud told him that any chance of physical contact was out of the question. He couldn't even help her up, so he joined her on the grass.

"What are you wearing?" Ashley asked, with a laugh clearly evident in her voice. Jaz looked down at himself, and his face flamed. He had gotten used to the comfortable clothes, but now he realized how odd he must look. But then again…

"I was going to ask the same of you," he grinned, and Ashley looked down in shame at her tights and heavily embroidered tunic.

"You should see the dress I have to wear to dinner," she said, pulling a piece of thread from a little blue bird on her sleeve. "And what is _that_?" She looked in interest at the tiny gun on his hip.

"Futuristic weapon." He took it off the little Velcro patch and casually fired a ball of bright gold into the distance.

"Hey asshole! That almost hit me!" Came another distant voice.

"Sorry Abbe!" Jaz called.

"Yah, you should be JASPER!" Jaz glanced quickly at Ashley, praying she hadn't heard. She had.

"Jasper?" she gasped through almost insane laughs. "Jasper!" It was awhile before her laughs subsided, and Jaz decided that Jasper was the best name to ever be thought up.

Unseen by anybody, Kyler glared from a dark shadow.


	26. A Kiss on the Hand

As the voice calling "Hey asshole, that almost hit me!" became more and more familiar, Cassie disregarded her sword fighting lesson completely to turn around, searching. She spotted Ashley sitting next to the oak sapling. She was laughing with someone. Someone in silver. With black hair. His voice wafted over to her. She grinned in relief. Her long lost friend, Jaz. But then, if Jaz was here…

"Jaz, is Abbe here?" She called, interrupting his conversation. He looked rather surprised that she was speaking to _him_. Not that she could blame him. They hadn't spoken in about eleven years after all. Eventually, he answered. But only after he noticed Cassie was tapping her foot impatiently on the damp ground.

"Um, yeah. She ought to be around here somewhere." Then he immediately resumed his conversation with Ashley. Cassie rolled her eyes.

"Thanks Asshole! That was SO much help," she called back to him.

"Yup, no problem," Jaz answered distractedly.

It didn't take long for Cassie and Abbe to find each other. Mostly for the reason that Abbe was periodically flinging herself to the ground, and then complaining very loudly about how much it hurt.

"DUDE!" Abbe cried the second she saw Cassie. "Check it out!" And without further ado, she executed a forward flip in flawless slow motion.

"That's…um…great," She answered, drawing closer. She sat beside Abbe. "So how've you been?" Abbe shrugged. "Love the outfit," Cassie smirked. Abbe responded by punching Cassie's arm three times and then contented herself with making whistles out of grass blades. It took a piteously short amount of time for Cassie to grow tired of the noise. And on top of that, her hand was throbbing. She had always had a problem with feeling her heartbeat anywhere other than her neck, wrist, and chest. She got up, leaving Abbe with some random excuse. She saw Ashley and Jaz by the tree sitting quite close, talking like there was nothing in the world they'd rather be doing. The annoying, achy feeling in her chest came back again. She spotted Saber practicing with Kyler, who was too often shooting sour looks at Jaz. Dejectedly, Cassie made her way inside, ignoring the hoots and catcalls of the fat filthy miscreants whose life it was to drink and eat meat while trying to think of themselves as God's gifts to women. She shuddered.

Upstairs, in the room she shared with Ashley, Cassie undid the bandage on her hand. She winced as the fabric pulled away from her flesh, taking dried blood with it. Examining the cut, she noted that the bleeding had stopped, but it was swelling and the skin around it was an angry red. She flopped on her side, eager to fall into one of her many happy places.

The deer bounded joyfully through the open field. Cassie watched, happily picking wildflowers, while Saber in nothing but a toga lept alongside them. He was smiling for a change. Cut free from invisible bonds. Laughing, he fell beside her and pulled her close………..The pounding on her door pulled Cassie from the fantasy. Ashley wouldn't bother knocking. Maybe it was Aiden. No, the little girl couldn't bang like that, even if she did kick serious ass. So then…she pulled open the door.

Saber. Her breath stopped. Along with her heart and all ability to move. He gave her a slight smile and held up a bottle.

"For your hand." Without waiting for a reply, he took her by her good hand and pulled her towards the bed. Cassie's heart leapt into her throat. Her mind screamed at her to do something. Say something. ANYTHING. But she just let herself be limply dragged and sat upon the bed. Saber held up her right hand, and examined it closely. "Good, it's a clean cut. Though deep. It should heal well. I'll just put this on to be safe. Cassie nodded dumbly, heart still pounding uncomfortably. All came back quickly and mercilessly as the stinging salve met roughly with her torn skin. A very audible yelp of pain with a few heartfelt curses assured Saber that the potion was doing its job and that Cassie was back on the ground.

"That F#%ing hurt!" she screamed as Saber serenely tied a new bandage on the wound.

"You'll have to put more on twice tomorrow, and then once the next day and the next. Then keep it bandaged. It shouldn't take too long to close up.

"Yah, provided I'm even alive the day after tomorrow to set my hand on fire again," She muttered darkly. Saber tried to look sympathetic, but his eyes held a wicked glitter.

"You shouldn't think of that. All the same, I am sorry to have caused you such discomfort." and without any further consultation he lifted her hand and brushed his lips against the bandage, which nonetheless, sent a shiver up her arm. "Does that feel any better?" Cassie moved a shaking arm towards herself.

"Yah….I-I think so." Her face was red and that weird achy chest thing came back full measure. She smiled kind of stupidly. "You're older than me you know," she said. She didn't mean to sound like such a moron, but letting the silence stretch was more than she could bear. Saber raised his eyebrows.

"Yes. I suppose I am," he whispered leaning closer. Closer. Closer.

"Okay," Cassie answered equally quietly, all senses leaving her yet again. '_How is it possible that he's so filthy yet he smells so good_?' In that last second, that thought filled her mind. And then, it didn't matter.

It wasn't deep and full of passion. There wasn't any extensive groping. It was just sweet. What any girl wanted for a first kiss. And it was happening to _her._ With this Hot, filthy, medieval man. She had no idea how long his mouth moved slowly over hers. But when she next became properly conscious again, her arms were around his neck, and Ashley was standing in the doorway with her mouth hanging open. From the looks of her, she had been that way for some time.

Instead of feeling perfectly humiliated, Cassie felt kind of….proud. She had lots of gloat power now, and she knew it. '_Oh screw it. It doesn't matter.' _Saber pulled her closer and they both turned to smile at Ashley. '_God, I think I love him,'_

"Yes, can I help you?" Cassie asked pleasantly. Ashley's mouth snapped shut, and she grinned evilly. The same evil grin that Cassie gave her when she was caught with Jaz. Only Ashley really didn't do much with him.

"Cassie, you have a lot of secrets to tell me tonight. Until then, I'll just go and find something to eat.

"No, no. I'm on my way out," Saber hastened to extract himself from Cassie's arms. He gave her a smile that if she had been standing would have made her collapse gracelessly to the floor. "Don't forget to keep putting that stuff on your hand." Cassie waved mindlessly, another stupid smile on her face. The door slammed shut, and Ashley looked down at her, her arms folded across her chest, her evil grin stretching across her face.

"Well?"


	27. The 1st Battle:Warriors Get 'Deep

"Lucky you. At least you can actually touch the guy." Ashley was glum after picking every tiny detail out of Cassie.

"So do you just go right through him?" Cassie asked.

"Yes. But I think that right now, that's the least of my problems." she frowned and looked out the window. "The stars are veiled, and I'm not even quoting! Look, they really are. It's actually kind of pretty." Cassie joined her friend at the window and she looked at he misty stars hanging above the silent moor. "I told you so."

"Do you think we'll die?" Cassie voiced the question that had been plaguing her mind all day.

"I doubt it. Things just don't work out that way." and Cassie was so relieved by the answer that she didn't bother to think about the questionable explanation. In truth, Ashley had her own doubts, though she didn't voice them.

Nobody slept well that night. Or the one following. The two girls tossed and turned, dreading their almost certain doom. Saber and Kyler were restless and easily distracted. Both for different reasons. That last night, they stayed up, polishing their weapons and speaking little. Ashley and Cassie blew off their steam by drilling their music over and over. Abbe and Jaz joined them for a little while, but they didn't have no much to worry about and so eventually bid them good night and good luck. Everything basically depended on the people of the past. No pressure right?

The dawn rose red. Distant drums could be heard, as of yet invisible just over the western horizon. Aiden stepped into the room, and the terrified pair whipped around in fright. And then their pinched expressions turned to smiles at the small girl's attire. She was fully decked out in silver mail with her hair tied back from her eyes. A sword at her hip and a red cape about her shoulders, she looked the part of any gallant knight. Only she was just short of four feet and no warrior could look _that _intimidating. But the look in Aiden's eye said quite plainly that she was ready to draw blood.

"Love the look," Cassie said wryly.

"You think so?" Aiden asked fingering the cape. "I wondered if I looked a bit _overdone_."

"Not at all," said Ashley smirking. "Wish I had something like that. I might live." Aiden's eyes widened.

"But you do! Didn't I tell you? Oops. Well, here you go." Leaping into the wardrobe, and digging in the back, she pulled out two more coats of mail similar to the one the small girl was wearing.

"No capes?" Cassie asked disappointed.

"Sorry," Aiden said apologetically. "We're a bit short on fabric and dye this time of year you know. Oh yes, and I've had special sheaths made for your instruments so you can wear them all the time!" She dug around a bit more and produced two belts with oddly shaped pockets in them. Undoubtedly made to hold a flute and a clarinet. Ashley held hers by the tips of her fingers, disgusted.

"This is hideous and tacky and why can't we look cool like you?"

"Because I'm the wise all knowing person in this particular good versus evil story, and I have to look the part. And because you are destined to become the greatest players of your instrument of all time, and so thus must also look the part as well. It's not my fault I got the better looking part."

Ashley refused to speak to Aiden for the entire time it took to ready themselves for battle, which admittedly wasn't all that long. They met Saber and Kyler in the great hall, where they were looking grim, but all in all not terribly worried.

"How can you act so calm?" Ashley hissed. Kyler frowned, confused.

"What is there to be worried about?" Ashley shrugged.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe **DYING**!"

"But we are warriors. Risking our lives is what we do. Fearing death will only make death itself more likely."

"But I'm not a warrior. I'm a high school student! This kind of thing isn't supposed to happen to me. I was supposed to go on a nice excursion band trip to Ireland to play in the St. Patricks Day parade! Now I find myself thrown seven hundred years from my home where people don't even know that the world is round! Now because of one of my best friends, I have to fight in a war and risk my life to save the world from MY evil band director! Why couldn't it be Innerlochs? It's never them!" As she finished her rant, she was shocked to find tears on her cheeks. Kyler pulled her close.

"I understand little of what you said, but I feel your terror. But know, that if your life is lost, it was supposed to happen. If you decide not to go into battle today, but you were still meant to meet your end on THIS day, it will happen in some other fashion. And if you were not, then you will live."

Somewhere, not far off, Cassie and Saber were having very much the same conversation.

"Our days are numbered lass, from the moment we take our first breath, death is inevitable, so there is no use in worrying over it constantly." Saber took Cassie's shoulders and shook her gently.

"Death is simply one of the greatest mysteries of life," Kyler continued. "Like air. Have you any idea what air is made of?"

"Yes actu-" Ashley was promptly cut off.

"Precisely, air is a mystery of life, and yet, it is because of air that we live."

"And besides," Saber was saying. "Has this whole experience been entirely bad?"

"No," Cassie admitted.

"So what good has happened to you?" Kyler prompted.

"I've made new friends, I've learned a lot, and I can now play my flute really well." Ashley answered after a moment's thought.

"I've fallen in love," Cassie said dreamily, the brunt of her fears forgotten. Saber kissed her forehead swiftly.

"And then, My dear Cascada, after a battle where death has been all around you, you remember just how…Enjoyable life can be. Cassie opened her mouth to speak, but no words found their way to her brain and a hot flush doused her face. She had been blushing far too much of late.

Saber smiled at her embarrassed reaction. How could he have so quickly fallen in love with this maiden who knew more than he could ever dream of trying to learn, and yet she was ignorant of so much? Including many of the simple pleasures that made life so worthwhile. He shook off the feeling of sweet romance, and adopted a sterner expression.

"And now Ashley," Kyler finished in a saintly voice. "We must go out to fight, for glory, death, and the survival of this good world as we know it."

"And we don't even have capes," said Cassie sullenly. Unable to keep himself serious, he smiled yet again and took his own from about his shoulder, dusted it off, and handed it too her.

"It may be a bit long, but I present it to you fair lady, with my compliments." Cassie accepted the green mass and fastened it. A cape made to fall just above the knees reached to her ankles.

"Come my friend!" Kyler called from across the room. "There are men out there whom my sword is most eager to meet!"

"Have you any idea how wrong that sounds?" Ashley asked. Kyler paid little attention. Apparently, he was eager for battle. Ashley espied Cassie decked out in a cape of forest green. She made her way over. "You get a pep talk too?" she asked nodding towards Saber. Cassie sighed.

"I love him." After that, there was very little time to talk as they were pushed by the onslaught of battle-hungry men towards the door.

Once out of the door, all senses went on alert. The drums were louder now, and the tiny, dark specks lining the union between sky and ground were the only indications of the enemy's approach.

She was Mrs. Conrad again, but she was no less intimidating than Lord Darnoc itself. Beneath her heavy breastplate, she wore a tunic of the brightest orange which clashed horribly with her green leggings. Around it all, her own black cape billowed threateningly in the early morning breeze. Somewhere behind her, the bass drum beat out the age old rhythm. The very pulse of life. Beside her, Knat stood, his own tiny sword held at the ready. She held up her trumpet, and blew a whole note. When she took the instrument away from her mouth, her face was red, and she was breathing heavily, in great pain.

__

"You are the worst soldiers this world has ever had the misfortune to have!" She said. _"This is your chance to redeem yourselves, and to find honour! In my experiences, the actual event goes much better than the practices. Let's hope this is one of those times! Or else you will all die! Now, when you meet this army, who is in all respects better than you, I want you to march in line, and in step with that bass drum! And you are not, under any circumstances to kill the little girl in the red cloak! I will handle her myself! Is all of this clear?! Good. Mark time! Forward march! One, two, three, four!" _And so it began.

It was pitiful how little thought it took to take the life of another. As Ashley and Cassie put all of their hastily learned skills to the test, neither recalled thinking of much. It was like all free will had been shut off, and their thoughts were pre recorded and set into their brains. _Challenge, block, duck, block, cut. Challenge cut, NO! duck! Ow. that's gonna hurt later, block, stab. Another one down, a few thousand more to go._ Occasionally, during a quiet half second, they would glance around to see how the others were faring, and they would catch glimpses of their friends fighting similar battles, but before they could take a really good look it was back to _Challenge, duck, block, OW Dammit! My arm! Oh you're going down! Cut., slice challenge…._ The body never seemed to tire, and the veil over proper thought never seemed to lift. Until…..

Ashley would never have known if it had been a minute, an hour, or a day, if it wasn't for the fact that the sun rose and set. A loud cheer at last broke through the haze in her mind. She looked up, and suddenly all of her senses returned. She looked around. She spotted Saber, bloodstained and filthy, but with an expression of triumph radiating on his face. Kyler was near him, grim victory written on his features as well, but pain shadowed it. Cassie was not far off as well. She looked just as dazed as Ashley felt. She was blinking rapidly with a frown on her face. Her new cape hung limply from one shoulder and she was looking apprehensively at her sword, now stained with blood. She was looking around too, and nodded when she saw Ashley. Something bright caught Ashley's eye amongst all the black and brown on the ground. She gasped in horror. There, in a bloody heap, lay the old man Annod Yawnoc. She looked around frantically for Cassie, but she was busy reuniting with Saber. She turned away. A tear came to her eye. Who would slay this poor old man? She looked at him more closely. A strip of bright orange fabric was clutched in his left hand.__


	28. The 2nd Battle: Jaz's rescue

Jaz had been frantic. Abbe had actually tried to soothe him during the battle that they had been forced to watch from afar. It didn't work. As she had spoken to him words of comfort, he had been peering around her head for any sign of Ashley, and on the occasions that he did see her, he almost wished he hadn't. She looked dazed, even as she killed people with an astonishing lack of mercy. Never had Jaz realized how noticeable a heartbeat could be. His sweet, gum loving Ashley! Poor thing. And it didn't help at all that a tall, blonde, obvious sex god was almost constantly at her side. When he tried to voice those particular upsets to Abbe, she grinned evilly.

"Oooo, someone's jealous. Well, I guess you'd just better hope that she likes you more." Jaz glared. Abbe attempted to make a whistle out of an acorn cap, but it fell apart in her hand. She chucked it on the ground bitterly. "and now that the past battle is over, you realize that we're next?" Jaz drew in his breath. "It worries you too?" Abbe asked in response to the gesture. Jaz shook his head.

"No, It's just that, this is only the second time during this entire ordeal that you've said something intelligent. It's kind of shocking to the system."

"Oh go make out with Ashley asshole! I need food. Ooh, a pixie with a broken wing!" She snatched 'it' out of the air and took a bite. "Mmmmmmm. Want some? I didn't eat the gonads this time." She offered Jaz her open palm.

"No thanks, I'm full." Suddenly he frowned, in deep thought. "I'm full…"

"What is this? A Taco Bell commercial? It's really not a big deal that you're not hungry. I'll just eat the gonads myself.

"Don't you get it?" Jaz said exasperated. "We haven't eaten since we got here. Not a thing. Not only have I not been hungry, I haven't even wanted food!"

"Wow. It took you that long to figure it out? And you're a high honours student?" She shook her head disbelievingly. "And why are you with me anyway? Why aren't you with Ashley celebrating her safety and kissing her into oblivion?"

"Because I can't," Jaz replied picking at the grass. "We just go right through each other. It's annoying! And it does bad things to me. You know? I see her and all I want to do is take her to a dark corner and kiss her 'til-"

"If you say one more word Jasper," Abbe warned. "I only concern myself with pixies' gonads. Nobody else's, and especially not yours."

"Thank god for that!" Jaz smiled, examining the tiny little gun for the thousandth time. "I wonder why we never need food."

"I dunno, but I remember when I was changing into this outfit, I was really craving a soft pretzel, but I forgot about it right after I zipped up.

"Could that possibly be that you had to go around in public in a silver suit that leaves nothing to the imagination?"

"Are you hitting on me?" Jaz made a horrified face.

"NO! I was just wondering if you really believed that our clothes had anything to do with our food intake."

"Well, it's better than the mime suit, and yours doesn't hide much either, Abbe said, not really hearing Jaz's explanation.

"Remember, ONLY the gonads of pixies," Jaz reminded teasingly. Abbe narrowed her eyes.

"_JASPER_."

****

"Ashley seemed to like the name," Jaz answered smugly.

"Damn, now I have nothing against you. You suck."

"How long until the next battle anyway?" Jaz _really _wanted to change the subject.

"Two days," came a new voice. They turned. And smiled.

"Aiden!" Abbe exclaimed. And so it was. The small girl, bloody, sweaty, and still in her medieval war attire. Rarely had a sight been more welcome. "So we won?" Aiden nodded, grinning broadly. "Yes we did, so now, the pressure lies completely on you." Abbe took a deep breath.

"Great. So, how're the people in the present doing?" Aiden wrinkled her nose. "Ummmm, you're Nicole's sister right?" Abbe nodded. "Yah, she's unconscious at the moment due to something funny Darnoc did with her baton, and if she stays that way too long, she'll die." Abbe was silent a second.

"Wow. That sucks. Well, I guess we'll just have to win then won't we? And did you know that Ping-pong spelled backwards is Gnop-gnip?" Aiden's mouth dropped open, and for once, she was at a loss for an intelligent reply. Jaz's mouth was open too, but not for the same reason.

"Gnop-gnip? That's awesome! That's our new battle cry."

"Yes!" Abbe then proceeded to do her own version of a tribal dance. Jaz went quiet and looked around some more. The distant shadows of the people of the past paid him little mind. He spotted Ashley, and his stomach did a little flippy thing. She looked relatively unharmed but for a long scratch on her right cheek. He breathed again, and his heartbeat slowed somewhat. She was kneeling by somebody, and she looked far from happy. In fact, unless he missed his guess, she was crying. His first thought was _'maybe that blonde pretty boy's died!' _ But no, Jaz saw him. He was far from Ashley, and cheering with the rest of the men. Cassie? No, she was standing too. And getting _very_ friendly with one of the other warriors. Well, that had everybody accounted for. So then why was she acting like she'd lost a friend? Abbe had gone to find Cassie and break up her reunion. There was only him and Aiden left. Aiden was smiling, somehow knowing his thoughts.

"Well go on," she said. "But before you go, I want to tell you, Abbe was right about the whole food and clothes thing." Then she too faded back into the past.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ashley looked up quickly, and the sight of Jaz sent a wave of shininess through her. She wiped the dampness from her cheeks, and nodded towards the fallen man.

"He was the guy that bought me and Cassie. Annod Yawnoc. We were his slaves, but he was very nice to us. Despite the fact that he was in league with Darnoc. Why would she want to kill him?"

"So she wouldn't have to share her power." Aiden was back again.

"Really, do you always have to step into serious conversations randomly?" Ashley asked.

"It makes me seem more mystical," Aiden replied eyeing the orange fabric with great dislike. "Oh well, carry on."

"Well I'm really sorry," Jaz murmured. Ashley gave him a watery smile, having no idea that she had played a key part in his conversation only moments before. "How did the others do?" Ashley shrugged. The metal of her armour clinked.

"Saber's fine. He's flawless with that sword you know, although he did manage to get disgustingly filthy. Cassie's basically okay I think. Well, She wouldn't be that wrapped up in Saber if she wasn't." She shook her head, a half smile forming on her lips as she watched the happy pair. She turned back to Jaz. "And Kyler's got a nasty gash on his upper arm, but he'll be alright. Saber's got this antiseptic stuff. Cassie said it hurts like hell, but heals the cut. I guess I'll have to get some on my face. Is it bleeding really bad?"

"Not anymore," Jaz answered. He wanted excruciatingly to kiss it and make it all better. Stupid time difference.

Several more moments of small talk later, and Ashley excused herself for a second to change and get her face patched up. Jaz made himself comfortable beneath the dead tree to wait. Abbe had disappeared somewhere. He supposed she had gone off to the other side of the castle. He was very glad that he didn't have to wait long.

She always looked nice to him, but who would have thought that yards and yards of fabric on her slender frame could steal his breath so? She was smiling shyly as she sat beside him. "Cassie didn't lie. That stuff does hurt. Oh well, Saber did warn me. But he seemed in a big rush. Far too happy." She shook her head. "Oh well, how are you?" Jaz found his voice again, and they were off. They had no inclination of the outside world until Ashley realized that she could no longer properly see the distinctive brown of his eyes. It was really a pity that brown had so few complimentary descriptive words. Except chocolate, but everybody used chocolate to describe brown eyes. Mud, tree bark, burned pancakes. Blah. She would have to ask Cassie the next time she saw her. "Well, I have to go," she whispered. And you've got to train tomorrow. You're going into battle the day after." And she was gone. Jaz wondered if that hug they had shared way back in the dilapidated inn was the only sweet moment they would have.

The next day passed in record time. By eight thirty that evening, Jaz and Abbe had collapsed on the ground too exhausted to move or even speak. Aiden had forced them to practice until they had every slow motion move perfected and could shoot a coin at a hundred yards. Abbe was forcefully reminded of the Swan Princess and prince Derek.

Amazingly, they slept that night. Aiden shook them awake early the next morning. She was once again dressed to fit her role. A silver suit just like Abbe's, and her hair was in a ponytail, held in place by what looked like a slinky. "It's time," she said in a low, overly dramatic voice. They were then 'introduced' to Aiden's robot army. Knat had a similar one. The robots were actually pretty cute. About as tall as Aiden herself with little wires sticking straight up out of their tops, and little bitty arms that shot out balls of light.

Once again a battle raged, only it was more robot against robot than anything else which made it a bit less interesting as there were few human sounds. But both Abbe and Jaz fell under the same spell, and thought little. Until….

Jaz had always wanted a robot to help him with the housework, now he wasn't so sure. Though they were easy to manipulate, they were deadly, and in such huge sums that nearly the whole field was a wash of silver. There weren't very many humans compared to them, but Tank has his fair number nonetheless. The slow motion training had done very well for Jaz, so far it had saved his life a total of six times, but the humans were clever. He was tripped, and his tiny little gun fell from his hand flying slowly into the air, and Jaz watched it as he fell, knowing that it would be the last thing he would see.

The gun hit Abbe in the head, and as she swore profusely, she looked around to see where it had come from. Through a gap between Aiden and some other woman, she saw Jaz fall.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" In one smooth motion, she picked up his gun in her free hand and started running towards him. "Don't Worry Jaz! I'll save you!" She cried. "Dammit, there's too many people in my way." With all of her energy, she took in a huge breath and screamed, "**GNOP-GNIP!!!!!!!**" And it echoed throughout the entire countryside. The robots continued to fight, but the people stopped in surprise. "Thank you."

The person who had been so intent on killing Jaz had stilled too, and Jaz had broken free and begun running away. He didn't notice the relative silence around him, his only concern was finding his gun. Meanwhile, Abbe was taking advantage of the stillness to collect her thoughts and make her way skipping towards the spot where Jaz had gone down right after she had fired three random shots into the air like the people in the wild west movies did.

"Here comes Santa Clause, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane….ummmm….lalalalalalalalalalalalala….bells are ringing children singing, all is merry and bright. So hang your stocking and say your prayers 'cuz Santa Claus comes…." All the people had made a path for her, such was their horror and shock. Abbe looked up and saw Jaz running away from her. "What the hell are you doing Jaz? I'm saving you!" And then she broke into a run. "I'm sorry Jaz, but this one time I need to concern myself with your gonads! Ashley will need them! NO DON'T YOU RUN FROM ME! " She sighed and began to run faster. "Bouncy bouncy ball, bouncy ball, bouncy ball, should've worn a jock strap!" she sang. "STOP…RUNNING!" Jaz turned right when Abbe had had enough. She fired a shot that went just above his head, and he had been forced to throw himself to the ground. "That's better." She caught up to him and helped him to his feet. "There now, you'll be alright, no need to be afraid," she said handing him his gun.

"Thanks," Jaz said his voice dripping with sarcasm. And then the battle continued.

Suddenly, Abbe looked up, and her eye zeroed in on a fighting figure. A human. A pretty woman with brown hair. She choked on a gasp as pictures of Jaz polishing rubber duckies while she had stumped around in a mime suit flashed through her mind.

"Oh, bitch you are going down!" She lifted her gun, and rested her finger against the trigger, preparing to squeeze, but another ball of light found Julia N. She fell to the ground, and the blue ball Abbe had fired went right over her, hitting a robot from Aiden's army instead. Abbe winced in slight guilt. After a second, she could see. A skinny, nasty little man with bright orange hair and glasses was lowering his gun. Knat. Knat had killed Miss N. and robbed Abbe of her rightful revenge. Abbe prepared to end his life, but just as she was about to squeeze the trigger again, he called for his armies to retreat, leaving Abbe extremely pissy, but Aiden's army, victorious all the same.


	29. Welcome Back

Ashley had been in the mood to talk to Cassie the night following the battle. She had wanted to go through and analyse every word she and Jaz had spoken. Cassie wasn't there. Not long after she arrived back in her room, she fell asleep, the day's events having taken their toll on her. She arose late, and when her eyes focused, Cassie was on the stool in front of the mirror gazing aimlessly through the glass. When Ashley sat up, Cassie's eyes snapped back on alert, and she smiled.

"Hey," Ashley yawned. "Where were you last night? I wanted to talk to you."

"You were asleep when I came in, and I didn't want to wake you." Cassie replied. Ashley sat up straighter and looked at Cassie suspiciously.

"When did you come in? You look like you haven't slept all night.

"I came in around nine if you must know, and I didn't sleep. Much." Cassie was looking straight at Ashley's reflection with narrowed eyes.

"Nine at night?"

"Ummmm, sure." Cassie looked down.

"Nine in the morning?! Just where in the hell were you all night?"

"I was talking to Saber all night. We talked. All night." Her face appeared honest, but her cheeks were slowly reddening, and if she were to lift her hair away from her ears, they would have been a dead giveaway. Ashley was looking at Cassie like a mother with a naughty child, her arms folded across her chest.

"MmmmHmmm, and of course you realize that night ends at twelve midnight, which leaves nine hours between last night and when you got back here, so….." She trailed off, waiting for Cassie to explain herself.

"What are you writing my life story? I think I fell asleep at around two, woke up at four, fell back asleep at five, woke up at seven, and finally dragged my ass back here at nine."

"You woke up a lot this morning." Ashley's face was beginning to feel warm too.

"The pillows were lumpy."

"LIAR!" Cassie opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again. She put on a faraway look for a second, and smiled. Then she came back, and her face turned so red that it was very nearly the same colour as her dress. "Just hold on a sec," Ashley said calmly. She lifted a pillow to her face, and Cassie could hear the muffled screams. When her face reappeared, she was smiling. A slight glint of insanity in her eye. "I'm okay now. I won't ask you anymore." It was with much relief that Ashley changed the topic. By the time they went down to the victory banquet, Cassie was well informed on Ashley and Jaz's discussion, with Ashley not being totally in the dark about Cassie's escapades either.

To Ashley's relief, Saber wasn't at the table for breakfast. It was bad enough looking at Cassie alone now. They were able to pass the meal with relatively normal conversation. The rest of the day was spent between practicing their instruments, and watching Jaz and Abbe practice their slow motion moves.

Right after lunch, Cassie disappeared again, and Ashley really didn't want to know, so she stayed outside and cheered Jaz on, all the while cursing Cassie's luck that she could have physical contact with the one she loved. After Aiden called it quits, Jaz only smiled at her quickly before going to the back of the castle where she he probably slept. She was slightly hurt that he hadn't at least said goodnight to her, but she supposed that maybe he was tired. Aiden had pushed him pretty hard today. Uncertain, and rather depressed, she went back to her room, where to her surprise, she found Cassie looking equally upset and confused. There was however, no way in hell that Ashley was going to let Cassie disperse her problems first.

"Guess what?" she began. Cassie looked up. Her eyes were dry, but…Oh whatever. As long as she wasn't crying Ashley had nothing to feel guilty about. And she was sick of waiting for a response. "Jaz didn't talk to me once today! I mean, he was probably busy training. Aiden was a lot worse with them than us. But, you'd think he'd have at least said hi to me. He hates me! I know it. I pushed him too hard talking yesterday, and now he's sick of me!" Cassie smiled indulgently, as she always did when Ashley was having one of her moods, and for the next hour or so, she proceeded to soothe her as much as possible without getting her hopes up too much. And Ashley forgot about Cassie's problem as hope swelled within her. Yes, it was possible that Jaz loved her just as much as she loved him. Sweet thoughts wove through her dreams that night. Cassie had no dreams. For the simple reason that she had no sleep. She would have to talk to Ashley eventually. Just keeping her doubts to herself was tearing her up inside. Doubts that had begun to take root the moment Saber had 'healed' her hand.

She finally gave up on sleep and went down to the great hall which was deserted but for a young boy. He couldn't have been more than four or five years old. She made her way over to go and sit by him, but was too shy to say anything. As she sat, he looked up and smiled. 'Adorable,' Cassie thought. Rumpled, but shiny brown hair almost went into his eyes in places, and stuck out in others. He wore a billowy, white shirt that was a bit large for him.

"Hello," he said scooting closer to her. "I like warm bread with honey on it." A bit taken aback by this random statement, Cassie wasn't quite sure how to reply. Luckily, the need to was taken out of her hands when he spoke again. "I'm Arundel. That means one who dwells with eagles. I don't remember what my last name is. I think it means son of the searcher. But I'm not sure." He shrugged, and his loose shirt fell over one shoulder. "What's your name?"

"Cassie." The boy smiled at her answer.

"My uncle talks about you a lot. I think he likes you." Cassie frowned.

"Your uncle?"

"My uncle Saber. His name is the same as mine. His real name anyway. He takes care of me because my mother and father are dead." Cassie didn't really know what to say in response. She never did. Maybe if she changed the subject.

"Well then Arundel, why don't you and I go to the kitchen and see if we can get any bread with honey on it." During later reflection, she changed her negative opinion of little boys.

Not long after they returned to eat their snack, Ashley found them, and demanded that they make another excursion to the kitchen to get her some too. When they finally got back from that, the room was full, and the surviving crude, hairy men were talking animatedly. Little Arundel spotted Saber and went to him to offer up some of his food. Saber lifted the small boy high in the air by way of greeting, and in his delight at soaring through the air, Arundel let go of his bread so he could spread his arms to fly like a bird. And the bread landed honey side down smack in the centre of Saber's face. The hall erupted with hearty laughs, and Arundel's rapturous giggles echoed off the stone walls.

Much the same as before, two figures watched the battle go. Both worried sick. Both trying to catch glimpses that would pronounce those they cared about safe for the time being. Ashley saw Jaz go down, and her scream was almost audible over the rest of those fighting. The echoes could still be heard even as it mingled with those sounding oddly like "**GNOP-GNIP!**" Ashley recoiled from shock at hearing this. Cassie, seeing that neither Abbe nor Jaz was in immediate danger grew thoughtful.

"I think that's ping-pong spelled backwards. Wow. I wonder if Abbe came up with that," she said to nobody in particular. In her contemplation, she missed the odd scene that ensued, but Ashley saw it quite clearly, and wished she hadn't. Throughout most of it, her face burned with embarrassment. How was she friends with this girl? A strangled yell escaped her as she saw the ball of light from Abbe's gun barely missed Jaz's head.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" She left Cassie to see if Jaz was okay, but she lost him in a swarm of robots. She looked around, and found herself standing next to a much older Knat. She jumped, and flung herself away from him which pretty much ended her up on the ground. Regaining her bearings, she saw that Knat was still pretty close to her, and that Abbe, looking ready to kill had her gun pointed straight at him. Praying that she didn't miss, Ashley tried to move away, but Knat's stringy voice yelling 'retreat' gave her possibly the strangest experience of her life up to that point.

"Have you ever been trampled by thousands of robots, but never felt a thing?" She asked Jaz later that day after Jaz had calmed down somewhat from his adrenaline high. Abbe was having a little more trouble. Cassie had given up on her and gone to find food. Not that Ashley blamed her. Abbe on the other hand didn't really notice if anybody was talking to her. She was firing shot after shot into the ground, kicking random bushes/people, and screaming about how she had been robbed of her proper justice and that she demanded a recount. All this among a stream of swears, some made up words, and many references to llamas, squirrels, and flamingos. After a second of observing this, Jaz answered.

"No. I haven't actually. I'd kill for some Juicy Fruit though." If anybody had been around to watch, they would have seen the stars in her eyes. For no explainable reason, the topic of gum brought them to sunset. And Ashley never went in that evening. Or that night. Or that morning. In fact, after a dream in which the giant orange fish from the Juicy Fruit Commercial pronounced her and Jaz man and wife, she woke up. The bright sunlight smarted her eyes. She squinted and stared around. She was lying on wet, dewy grass. Something warm resting against her back. Some sort of involuntary reflex made her jerk away and roll over at the same time. Her vision focused, and there was Jaz. Asleep. She smiled dewily. How sweet. He had slept in his clothes. He was wearing a white t shirt over which was a blue, plaid button up shirt with some green cargo shorts. His socks were pulled up a little too high, but other than that, he was adorable. Wait a minute. She gazed down at herself. Her penguin goddess pajama shirt, some blue jeans, and not much else. She frowned, and looked back at Jaz. It was like she was seeing him on a computer screen with a few thousand more pixels on it. He was clear, filled in. Ashley's heart leapt into her throat. Not wanting to wake him, she reached out, and touched a strand of his hair. And she felt it! Grinning stupidly, she got up, and brushed herself off. She turned, and there was Aiden, smiling just as broadly.

"Welcome back."


	30. The 3rd Battle:The Last Sacrafice

"So are you saying that we're back in the present?" Ashley asked excitedly. She had never realized how comfortable her pajama shirt was. Aiden's smile dimmed somewhat.

"Yes. All of us are. For the time being. Saber, Kyler, Arundel, the robots, all the people that fought for our side in both battles, and your friends from the present are milling around in the castle. Of course Saber, Kyler, and the others not from this time will be returned to their respective points in history subsequent to the final battle which will take place in-"

"Two days," Ashley interrupted, amazed at how predictable this was. "Poor Cassie. I wonder if that's what she looked so sad about."

"Yes, she has rather a big decision to make I'm afraid, and no matter what it is somebody will suffer." Ashley scrunched her face up for a second in sympathy for her friend, and that was how Jaz saw her when he opened his eyes.

Not wanting to interrupt Ashley's conversation, Jaz sat up silently, and sensed an aura of excitement about her even though he was looking at the back of her head.

"So we're in the present, at Yawnoc Castle?" Aiden nodded, wondering what Ashley was getting at. "And so everything that was ours, that we brought with us from America is in those walls?"

"Yes, I even managed to get your carryon bags from the airport between battles," Aiden answered. The smile that had left Ashley's face in light of Cassie's problems returned tenfold. She felt a great sense of gladness descend upon her.

"My gum," She breathed, testing out a word she hadn't said out loud in a long while. Then more confidently, "MY GUM!" Then, jumping up and down like a maniac, she proceeded to envelop Aiden in a tight hug, that due to the jumping, lifted the small girl right off her feet. After a second or two of this, Ashley ran full tilt towards the castle screaming 'my gum' at any passer-by that crossed her path. She disappeared through the doors, and Jaz watched with his mouth slightly agape. Aiden turned towards him, shaking her head.

"And I always thought she was the sane one," she said in wonder.

"So did I," Jaz answered. "I thought she was going to be such a refreshing change after Abbe."

"She may yet. She's just been denied her gum for a long time." It was at this time that Jaz became aware of the fact that there really_ was_ gum at this time. Without a backwards glance, he followed Ashley. Aiden frowned after them. She wasn't sure that they knew what this was really about. She sighed. The end was drawing near, and all these people cared about was gum.

Ashley found Abbe, Cassie, Jaimie, and Allysson all congregated in the bedroom, several empty packs of Ashley's winter fresh already littering the floor.

"What is this?!" she cried indignantly. Cassie looked up guiltily.

"I'm sorry, but it was just sitting there, and I haven't had gum in awhile either. And why are you dressed all normal again?" Upon second glance it was evident that Abbe and Cassie hadn't abandoned their strange costumes.

"No fair!" Abbe pouted. "Why do I still have to wear this? And my hair elastic broke during the battle, _and_ my roots are showing! I never wanted to see my brown hair again!"

Cassie was on the point of replying when she was bowled over by a very small figure. Once she could breathe on her own again, she gasped a greeting.

"Arundel! You…um…surprised me. How are you?"

"I haven't seen you in forever, and I wanted some bread with honey."

"I just saw you yesterday, and I don't have bread with honey," Cassie said sitting up and rubbing her ribcage which had just had an unpleasant meeting with Arundel's elbow. Arundel's lower lip quivered, and his big, sad eyes began to fill. "No, no don't cry! Here, eat this!" She shoved a stick of gum in his mouth.

"Hey!" Ashley exclaimed.

"Chew but don't swallow," Cassie advised. Too late. A gagging noise and excessive coughing made it clear that the gum was gone.

"Awwww, it's so cute! Can we keep it?" Abbe asked stepping closer to Arundel and tickling him under the chin. This went on for a couple of seconds as Arundel watched, motionless. Abbe shrieked and jerked her hand away, having had narrowly escaped it being impaled on a set of baby teeth Arundel giggled rather maliciously and held out his hand for a second stick of gum.

"So…how's Nicole doing?" Ashley offered rather timidly. Allysson's face turned grim. Jaimie was too busy bobbing her head to some random song inside her mind to notice the direction the conversation had taken, and so had no facial expression whatsoever except for a serene, and rather content smile.

"She's not doing much at all," Allysson said after giving Jaimie a strange look. "She doesn't move, and she barely breathes. Occasionally her finger will twitch, but that's not very often."

"Can we go see her? Where is she?" Abbe asked, attempting to play hacky sack with a small stone she had found lurking in a corner. Even though it was a round room. Allysson shrugged.

"Sure, you can go see her. Not that there's much point to it. We've all tried to rouse her. She won't wake. But if you want. She's in Annod's old room. Well, it's mine and Jaimie's room too. Anyway, it's right next to the library. I guess you know where it is. Or, No you don't. Ashley and Cassie do. Ashley, will you show Abbe where Nicole is?"

"Um…no," Ashley replied taking two pieces of her precious gum and putting them into her mouth. "Sorry, but I need my gum right now, and I don't want to be disturbed. And besides…" She trailed off as her eyes roamed over Jaz who was standing in the doorway waiting for somebody to acknowledge his presence and invite him inside. "Besides, I have company. Come in Jasper. I have gum." She closed her eyes in ecstasy as the mint flavour of the winterfresh burst on her tongue. And no more was to be said on the topic. Allysson rolled her eyes and turned to Cassie, but she was dabbing at her eyes with a pre-used tissue she had found in her bag, and was listening to her CD player.

"This song is so sad!" she gasped dramatically before burying her head in a pillow to sob uncontrollably. Allysson would have smacked her upside the head, but that wasn't in her nature, and besides she was scared of forever scarring Cassie's romantic spirit.

"I'll take her!" Arundel cried. "Where's the bedroom? Is it downstairs? The first door on the right of the Great Hall two rooms in?" Allysson nodded amazed.

"Yes, that's the one."

"Yay! Let's go! And then I'm gonna go and get some warm bread with honey on it!" He entwined his tiny fingers around Abbe's, and dragged her out of the room.

Outside that peaceful and secluded bedroom, it was a mob scene. Abbe's fellow band students clamouring for a private area to try on their special performance pants, the percussion drilling and re-drilling the street beat, Kimmy F. skipping around in pink Barbie boxers playing 'We are the World' on a badly tuned flute, Luke trying the angle of his black cowboy marching hat, Koil bemoaning the loss of his….well yah. It was chaos. The robots were swarming around talking to each other in numbers and making it very hard to get through. Abbe glared at them, and put her hand at her hip threateningly. The robots, who knew how dangerous she could be with that gun, parted for her immediately, muttering rapidly in their strange language. Abbe sneered at them as she passed. Arundel giggled at Kimmy F. and started skipping with him. Abbe was also struck with light heartedness and joined in. After several seconds she forgot her mission to visit her dying sister and was instead swaying from side to side with her arms in the air.

"Frolic!" She cried happily trying and failing to do a cartwheel. It may have continued this way for quite some time, until Arundel's insistent scream of 'BREAD AND HONEY! NOW!' kind of broke the mood. She grabbed his hand again and dragged _him_ down the corridor while he laughed.

Of course Allysson had been quite right in saying that there was no point in trying to visit Nicole. Her eyes, though wide open, never blinked. She did not move, and she barely breathed. Abbe looked back on her childhood with Nicole, and found that she felt almost no different now that her sister's life was in peril. She _was_ the one who had gotten rid of the bass drum after all. She sighed, Loyalty to family tugging fiercely against many childhood hurts.

Abbe returned to the bedroom with mixed emotions. Arundel had ditched her to go raid the kitchen of all bread and honey. The scene was peaceful, all the friends for the time being, content to be only with each other. Abbe sat on the floor and took another piece of gum.

The door, which Abbe had left slightly ajar, creaked open and Aiden peered around it.

"Yah, um, sorry to disturb you Allysson, but you and I need to have a chat that has been long delayed."

"A clarinet?" Allysson asked holding the instrument like it was a spun glass ornament that had no place in her life. "I don't get it. Why are you giving this to me?"

"I'll tell you after you play Mary Had a Little Lamb," Aiden replied impatiently.

"But I haven't played clarinet in six years!" Allysson protested.

"PLAY IT!" was the curt response. That was a difficult statement to argue with, so Allysson played it. A slow, choppy rendition of the classic song, riddled with air and squeaks. But it _was_ the song.

"Okay, there. I played it. Now can you tell me-"

"Okay, here's the thing. You are not allowed to know what I'm going to tell you. It involves things that are never to be tampered with or disclosed on any condition, but I feel strongly that you will not do what is asked of you unless I give you the reason. One of your friends. You know which. She has other things on her mind right now, and who can blame her? But in order to prevail, she needs to stay focused. That's not going to happen. So, When she goes down, _You will have to take her place_." Allysson managed not to choke.

"What are you saying?! Is Cassie going to die?" Aiden laughed grimly.

"This I do not know. I doubt it, since she won't be fighting, but let me tell you what _will_ happen. But remember, you are not to even _hint_ that you know this stuff! Do you understand?"

"I'm a teacher's daughter for God's sake! I have to do that all the time! Now tell me."

The following day was very subdued. Nobody asked why Allysson had suddenly taken up the clarinet or where Cassie went when she wasn't playing. Nobody yelled at Ashley and Jaz for chewing gum while playing. It was strange, eerie, and wrong. Things livened up a bit that evening. Around half past seven Cassie came through the door dragging Saber by the hand while Kyler followed with Arundel. Abbe and Ashley grinned evilly at Cassie determined to get their revenge. What Cassie had done to earn their wrath, they didn't know and didn't care. They pulled out two decks of cards from their bags and shuffled them threateningly. Cassie glared, and took out one of her own. _War_ could be heard clearly through Cassie's headphones. And during the next hour, the dirtiest and most intense game of Go Fish in all history took place. As soon as the three men from the past learned the relatively simple rules, they turned out to be quite…ruthless. Kyler in particular proved to be very adept. They eventually gambled their gum on the outcome, and Kyler more or less got all of it. He only gave some back to Ashley out of pure mercy and kindness. After she had gotten on her knees almost sobbing and begging for it back.

"Any aces?" Ashley asked Kyler, nervously eyeing the huge pile of gum at the centre of the table.

"Go Fish." Kyler said. The rest of the group, who had lost long ago watched the game contentedly, Cassie resting on Saber's knee. Ashley took in a deep breath and offered up a prayer. On of the two remaining cards on that table was an ace. The other was not. She reached out. Grabbed a card. Looked. Ah sheeit. Kyler must have sensed defeat. His grin widened to devilish proportions.

"Any fives?" Ashley flung her brand new card at him in contempt. Kyler accepted it with impeccable poise and placed the two cards neatly with his large pile of other matches. Many more matches than Ashley had. Kyler sighed and leaned back in his chair, his hands behind his head. Ashley had an insane urge to smack that expression right off his face. Or kiss it off. Either way. The more immediate problem was the fact that _her_ gum was about to belong to somebody else….time for drastic action.

"PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY GUM!" She cried. She blinked as hard as she could, and tears welled in her eyes. She got to her knees and clung to Kyler's ankles. "IT'S ALL I'VE GOT! ME AND MY GUM! AND I'VE BEEN WITHOUT IT SO LONG! GIVE MY GUM BACK! PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!" and she collapsed on the floor sobbing wretchedly.

As wise as Kyler presumed himself to be, he _was_ a bit gullible, and at the moment, he was rather alarmed.

"Okay My Lady, if your heart so greatly desires it, I will give you some of your precious gum back. But for a price"………

"A kiss?" Ashley asked turning scarlet and looking nervously at Jaz who had his mouth open. Whether it was horror or fury could not be told, and Jaz couldn't clarify because he was too busy turning from red to green and back again. All the others leaned forward in anticipation of the scene that was bound to follow. Well, Cassie and Saber were a bit delayed. They were having fun throwing cards at each other. Only after they realized that the room had gone completely silent did they finally shut up.

"Yes. That's all just a kiss," Kyler said quietly.

"On the lips?" The scene was momentarily switched to Jaz who had gotten out of his chair so fast that it toppled noisily to the floor. He stood silent, but if looks could kill…well, Kyler would be little more than a pile of smouldering cinders.

"Not necessarily," Kyler answered. "But a kiss nonetheless." Ashley glanced at Jaz again _'Yes! He's jealous!'_ she thought, power filling her mind. _'Well, if it'll get him to finally make a move then I guess….'_

"Fine. I'll do it. How much gum will I get back?"

"Ashley!" Jaz cried in a desperate, strangled voice.

"What? Sometimes it's nice to know that _somebody _in this world thinks I'm good enough to be kissed." Who could argue with that?

Jaz wanted to argue. He wanted to shove Kyler out of the way, or at least demand a fight to the death for Ashley's honour and favour. But that couldn't be done, and he was frozen in place anyways. All he could do was stand and watch in abject misery while Kyler pulled Ashley to him.

"**STOP!**" Such a noise would have halted a rampaging llama, and it certainly did the trick with Kyler. Everyone turned, and there stood Aiden. Her eyes were blazing in panic, and her knuckles were white. As always, she was dressed for the time. Her hair in a messy bun, she wore snugly fitting jeans and a large, grey, hooded sweatshirt. The moment she noticed that they all had indeed stopped, her panic visually subsided. "Time for bed," she said breathing heavily, failing miserably to appear calm. "Big day tomorrow. Go to sleep now." She went away then, and an uneasy silence pressed in around the group. Then a collective sigh passed around the room. They said their goodnights, some more intimate than others, and went away to their respective sleeping places. Kyler and Jaz left together, and each looked more than willing to kill the other.

In a room in the back of the castle, the percussion huddled. No sleep was in store for them that night. Koil was still reeling from Jesse's betrayal. Luke was fiddling with the buttons on his shirt. Miguel and Marco were practicing double paradiddles on the rug. In tense silence, they watched the sun rise.

The rest of the band members who had sided with Aiden slept relatively well. They didn't have to fight after all. Just play marching songs at the back of the army lines. Aiden had perfected them in this art. Without the harsh discipline of Mrs. Conrad, the band had flourished, and they were now the best that they could possibly be.

The rest weren't so sure. They had after all, been in battle before. And even though most of them wouldn't be fighting, they knew that the fate of their happy ending rested in and around this day. And the dawn was breaking. The day that would hold their final destinies ; )

There was no need for a wake up call that morning. If even anybody slept, they woke up by instinct alone.

The atmosphere in the extraordinarily crowded Great Hall was quiet, tense, and moody as all who were fighting milled around, waiting for Aiden to give them their orders. Cassie was fastening the instrument sheath around her waist with shaking fingers. Saber came up to her.

"Remember what we talked about the morning of the first battle," he said quietly, reaching down to help her.

"Yes. I remember." His voice calmed her, and she found herself able to breathe again.

"And you need have no fear of dying this time. You are only playing. As are your friends. If you fear for anybody, fear for me."

How she wanted to tell him that it _was_ him she feared for! But if she did, she might cause him shame. He had never gotten so much as a scrape in battle before.

So all she could do was hug him soundly. Clinging to his shoulders, her feet dangled in the air. She would always remember how he felt just then. Even when Aiden told them to go to their stations, they stayed rooted there, Cassie hoping that somehow through their current contact, her feelings would flow into him, and he would somehow know just how much she loved him, and how she feared for his survival and that of the rest of the world. Their timeless moment was broken by Aiden.

"It's time," she said in sympathy. "Cassie, you need to go to the hill with your friends. Saber, to the front lines." Saber nodded, and gently disengaged Cassie's arms from around his shoulders. Just like before, he kissed her forehead, and with one last backward glance, he strode from the room. After a moment in which Cassie struggled to maintain some kind of composure, she followed.

"Hey, what kept you?" Ashley asked when Cassie caught up to her. She didn't really need the answer, which was good because Cassie didn't give it. She merely took out her clarinet and played a scale. After she hit the last note, She, Abbe, and Ashley began tuning. A painful process even for just three people. Allysson was reclining in a lawn chair nearby, waiting until she was needed, and Jaz was with the rest of the band. Nicole, now chalk white and tinged with blue was on a stretcher next to Abbe. A red flag had been duct taped to her open palm.

No longer so far away, Darnoc's army approached. Her drums sounded, her trumpets whined, and her overwhelming number of life sized batons glinted dangerously in the blood red dawn.

"Now I've seen everything," Ashley said. It had been previously agreed upon that they were not to begin playing until the major crescendo in the song Darnoc's band was playing, which was 1812 Overture. The _shing_ of Saber's sword could be heard, and then Darnoc's Bass drum began to play. It had truly begun.

It was worse than any of them could have imagined, watching the battle. Before, when they had been fighting, the interminable fog over their minds had kept them from truly seeing much. Now they saw brass players and band moms that they had trusted since seventh grade being slain without mercy. Ping-Pong met his demise at the hands of Darnoc itself, and Jesse Sevens was felled by a ball of light from one of the robots. Koil stopped playing and ran out to him, but he was stopped when a ball of light from the same robot went right through his groin. He lay there for awhile in acute pain, but he knew in his heart of hearts that he would live.

The big crescendo came. All breathed deeply, and began to play the song they had learned by heart.

Lord Darnoc gasped in pain as the first notes penetrated her soul. She ordered her band to play louder. The bass drum pounded, and she felt strength seep back into her again. But wait…no…she felt her energy wane again as Cassie echoed Ashley perfectly, clearly. Despite her worry, Cassie almost smiled. They were gaining!

Over and over again, each side played their song. For ages, neither gained a clear advantage over the other. The swords clashed, the guns fired, and those on both sides fell to untimely deaths, but time was now becoming crucial. Nicole, who had before been a delicate beige, was turning a mottled purple.

"She's Dying!" Jaimie cried. "Play louder!" and louder they played. Darnoc screamed in rage. Somewhat like a wounded elephant, and began to run towards them, her baton raised, malice burning in her eyes. _'Oh, this will not be good.'_ Abbe thought, slipping up a bit by playing a C sharp instead of a regular C.

From down in the field, Aiden saw Darnoc begin her deadly advance on the girls. Her heart stopped for a moment. Then tears pricked her eyes. So this was it. Well, there was nothing for it. Screaming like a banshee, she ran after Darnoc, her insignificant weight letting her gain. And then, not letting herself think about what she was doing, she took a dagger from her pocket and threw it with all her might at Darnoc's back. Both of them screamed as Darnoc's pain became Aiden's. She caught Abbe's eye, and the look on her face was something Abbe would remember for the rest of her life. The sheer agony as her spirit was pulled irritably into Darnoc's body was something that would forever haunt her dreams. And then the pain exploded inside Abbe's chest. Aiden had been her friend! Her teacher! She deserved more than this. Even while she played, her mind scanned around for something to do, and then she saw it.

Tank, having seen Darnoc go down, rushed to help. Abbe saw him going towards the fallen band director, and thought that Aiden, wherever she was, deserved more than to die in Tank's arms.

"OH HELL NO!" She yelled drawing her gun. "FOR AIDEN! GNOP GNIP!" Those were the last words Knat Hale ever heard.

Whether or not the wound Aiden had delivered to her counterpart was fatal no longer mattered. The bond that had connected dark lord and sidekick was broken by death, and that, more than anything else destroyed the Lord Darnoc Mrs. Conrad.

In shock, and rage, the Band Mothers took flight, never to be seen again. Cassie caught sight of Saber, and stopped playing to smile at him. Seeing her out of the corner of his eye, he stopped too, to return the gesture. His shoulders relaxed for a second, and he lowered his sword, only to feel the sting of one right between his shoulder blades.

The force of Cassie's scream brought her to her knees, but she quickly regained her footing to fly down to where Saber fell. Allysson closed her eyes and turned her head away, a tear of her own making its way down her cheek.

Once Cassie knelt beside Saber, the rest of the world faded into slight transparency, and she knew without really thinking about it that she was back in the past again. Her eyes blurred with tears, and his face, so precious to her swam before her sight.

"Don't cry sweet Cascada," He murmured as wave upon wave of excruciation swept over him. It was the end, he knew, and a great cloak of sadness covered him. "I would remember you face as smiling, and it will be some time before I behold it again."

"Don't say that!" Cassie said thickly. "You'll live! You'll heal, and be well and watch little Arundel grow up. You'll…"

"Shhhh," Saber whispered pressing a finger to her lips. "This was supposed to happen. It was meant that you should go back to your home, for I would have made you my bride. And now I have dishonoured you."

"No!" Cassie gasped, her heart being squeezed in a death grip.

"But we won the war sweet Cascada, and so my conscience will be eased. I leave you now, my love. I wait now for the day when the mists of time part and I hold you in my arms again." His last breath ended in a sigh.

"Nononononononononono!" Cassie uttered the words over and over in quick succession, praying that it was not so. It was just a joke! She would kill him for this! Kill….dead…Saber. Never again. Her keening cry pierced time itself, before she fell upon him, her tears of anguish mixing with the blood of his sacrifice and burning the ground with its potency. Her lips met his, still warm. "No. Let it not be so! Please!" Her sobs wracked her body until she couldn't breathe and all was darkness.


	31. Appeasing the Heavens

Ashley, Abbe, and Jaimie watched the scene in horror, not knowing what was going on around them. Not even caring. Kyler had not yet noticed his best friend's fatal fall, but those who _had _been paying attention (namely Jaz and Allysson) could later recall that on Darnoc's last breath the bass drum exploded, and from within that crucial instrument came every song mankind had ever known. The ground shook with haunting ballads, tearful love songs, stupid ditties, and all the cutting edge songs from every era and every part of the world. As this was going on, the whole moor was enveloped in a thin, peachy mist that smelled strongly of hair dye, and from that mist rose all who had fallen by Conrad's hand. Annod Yawnoc, Julia N., and Ping-Pong, all in mystified form swarmed about Conrad angrily, shouting obscenities. Aiden swirled about too shouting at them to play. Even Darnoc herself arose from the mist.

__

_"You must FEEL the bass drum within you! YOU…DID NOT PLAY…THE CRESCENDO! DON'T TURN YOUR HEAD!"_

With all the sounds from the drum, the music, the dead, and the battle still raging, plus the sounds from the three students from Miltonborgo High playing their hearts out, the din was almost enough to wake the dead. Not quite enough, but for those _near_ death however….

When the music began to play, Nicole inhaled a huge breath, and sat up, straight as an arrow.

"NEWTONS!" she screamed before falling back on the stretcher, unconscious once more. This time, however, it was not some evil trick of a twisted band sorceress. Merely the effect of the mist, whose aroma was far from pleasant and had an effect on everybody in the area. One by one, they all dropped where they were standing and went into the deepest of sleeps, and the mist faded. The only person that this didn't have an effect on was Jaz, who watched in bemusement as friend and foe fell before his eyes. He looked around wildly for Aiden so she could give him an explanation before he remembered, and fully understood that the vivacious little girl would never again offer any wisdom in her childish voice. It brought him more grief than he would have expected. Cassie was nearby, curled in a ball, dried tears staining her cheeks. Next to her, faded in time was the body of the man she had been with the evening before during the go fish game. All around him were his fellow band members, some living some not. He closed his eyes, despair about to overwhelm him. But something floated across his mind.

Pear shampoo, and a smiling face drifted lazily, enticingly across his mind. The fear he had felt when she had been about to kiss another. Where was she? Her hair, not bright, not altogether eye catching was what alerted him to her whereabouts, and the fear he felt when he saw her unmoving figure would never truly leave him.

Making his way gallantly to her side, relief flooded him when he saw her breathing and unharmed. Her eyes were closed and her lips were curved in a faint smile. All thoughts save her loveliness in sleep were pushed from his mind as he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the castle. Not stupid enough to think he could do this up a winding flight of stone stairs, he settled for Annod's old room. The coverlet was pulled back very neatly, and it seemed to Jaz that she was fated to lie there. Candles in an elaborate chandelier were burning softly, and the room smelled of gardenia. An overstuffed chair sat close at hand. Jaz frowned, the convenience making him suspicious. However, his arms were beginning to tire, and he deposited his precious burden, and made himself comfortable. For right now, nothing was on his to do list except sit and watch Ashley wake up.

Cassie opened her eyes blearily. She was alone in her bedroom. She would never find out how she got there, and she never really cared. As soon as her brain focused, pain knifed through her and her tears began anew. Her fist clenched closed in an attempt to stay them, and a cold pressure on her palm stopped her. She opened her hand, and she found herself holding the pin Saber had used to keep his cape fastened. It was his family coat of arms, a simple, very familiar sword dominating the picture. Through her grief, a feeble smile formed on her face, a pinprick of gladness. She pinned it to the inside of her shirtsleeve and curled up to go to sleep again. It took her quite some time to realize that her beloved rubber duckie pajama bottoms and her red shirt had been restored to her.

In time, everybody woke up. They were all warm, in beds, under blankets. Those who had been defeated faded into their own times. Those however who had overcome the odds and shed blood for the cause of Good would have one more night. Bread was broken, and drinks were passed as all celebrated their victory and honoured the dead. Jaz stayed by Ashley's bedside. He listened to the party just outside the door, and wondered frantically why she wasn't up and about yet. All the others had stopped in for a moment. To offer congratulations, and inquire about his well being. They had all left after a few seconds, with knowing smiles and hasty excuses. Even Cassie had made an appearance. She looked very out of place wearing such happy clothes with such a forlorn expression, but she had hugged him quickly and demanded that she be notified the second Ashley woke up.

She had dreamt that she had been rescued from the pits of Hell and carried like a princess to a soft cloud where her aching head was instantly soothed. She sighed in contentment, and it was that sigh that made her aware of her surroundings.

"Good morning Princess." was the first thing that she heard, and knowing that it was Jaz who had said it filled her with such happiness that everything else that had happened over the past few weeks was blocked out.

"Hey Jaz," she said sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "How long was I asleep?"

"A few hours I think. I wasn't really counting, but you have to go and see Cassie. She made me swear on your life that as soon as you woke up I would make you go see her, so yah. But after that, I want to talk to you." Ashley's stomach clenched in sudden anticipation. Maybe, just maybe. She fished around in her pocket for the pack of gum she knew was in there. In relief, she found it, and offered the first piece to Jaz. "You're my hero," he said, accepting it gratefully.

Cassie was easily recognisable by her red shirt and all too colourful pants. She was outside with the rest. The lawn was lit with tiki torches, that those from the past eyes suspiciously. She was helping herself to a brownie. When Ashley was embraced, it became a part of her shirt, but she decided not to mention it in light of recent events.

"Hey," she said pulling back. "How are you?" Cassie shrugged a shoulder.

"I've been a lot better actually, but I guess I might feel okay eventually.

"I'm sorry Cassie. But I have a question. What would you have done if Saber had…I mean, if things had turned out differently?"

"I really don't know. I'd been agonizing about it for days. I guess the choice was out of my hands wasn't it?"

"Cassie! Ashley! Get over here! We need to teach these barbarians how to do the Chicken Dance!" Nicole yelled. Ashley looked at Cassie uncertainly.

"Go on," Cassie urged. "Somebody should have fun while we're here." Even Jaz joined in, which shocked Cassie as she sat and watched. Abbe had had a greater effect on him than probably even he knew. It seemed that everybody had changed during this trip. Well, not really Abbe. She was running around, chasing a terrified chipmunk screaming "NO! DON'T RUN FROM ME! I WANT TO TALK TO YOU!" Kyler looked about as bad as Cassie felt, and her heart went out to him.

"I never had a chance did I?" He asked nodding towards Ashley who was teaching Jaz The Chicken Dance.

"No, thank God!" Cassie exclaimed, then seeing Kyler's stricken expression, "I'm sorry, but me and the girls have been trying to get them together for two years now. She really likes you though," she added encouragingly.

"But she loves that skinny boy doesn't she?" He didn't wait for an answer. "And you loved Saber. I'm so sorry." Too overcome to speak, Cassie just nodded. "I'll make sure nobody ever forgets him. I'm going to tell this story to Arundel for the rest of my life, and it will be passed down. If you ever hear it in your own time, you'll be able to see how warped it became over the centuries." An outburst of laughter interrupted them. Little Arundel had apparently mastered the dance, and was doing it to his own chant of "Bread and Honey." Cassie fished around in her bag, and pulled out the camera she had brought. The one picture she took of her trip was light hearted. The parents would never suspect a thing. The song changed to _I Will Always Love You_, and Ashley and Jaz were slow dancing.

"No," Kyler said. "I never had a chance.

'No matter what,' Ashley promised herself, 'I will never forget tonight.' The sky was pink and blue with streaks of lavender dashed across for colour. There was no orange. The air was heavy with the scent of spring. Fresh, untouched. And she was dancing with the one she loved. Never had she felt so light-headed and giddy, but at the same time so grounded, so _right_.

"This has been interesting," Jaz said, breaking through her thoughts. "This whole trip I mean."

"Yes. But such horrible things have happened." She said, stopping her sways and looking down at her feet. "I mean, look at poor Cassie. I'm not sure she'll ever really be okay again, and once we get home we'll just be expected to forget everything…" She would have gone on for some time, but Jaz lifting her chin up kind of distracted her from her course. He wiped a tear away with his thumb. She had been crying? She was sick of crying. And she felt like doing it some more for some reason.

"You'd better not forget. Remember _everything_ Ashley. No matter what. Promise?" His eyes bored into hers. The big crescendo of the song began, some people lit off fireworks, and they illuminated the sky.

"Promise," she whispered, and before she could draw another breath, he took her face in his hands, and kissed her like he had been longing to for weeks. As red and gold sparks lit the sky, the entire gathered crowd began to clap and cheer. The spinning earth slowed to allow them more time it seemed. Her arms twined around his neck, instinctively bringing him closer. She never wanted to let go. She wanted to stay like that forever, his arms resting comfortably in the dip of her waist. Unseen by all, a star shot across the sky, its silver light mingling with the fireworks. The heavens were appeased, and peace would reign.

"God, I've wanted to do that for so long," Jaz said, his voice husky. So he did it again.

The End


	32. Epilogue

__

"I'm Gannon Sheriden"

"That's an odd name. Where did your parents come by it?"

"My ancestors were originally from Ireland, and my parents love old, traditional names. Gannon means blonde, I think."

"You're definitely not blonde. What about your last name? Do you know what that means?"

"I forgot. It's a really old name. Been in my family for centuries. Son of…something. I can't remember."

"Wow, so you're old blood?"

"Yup, They made learn all the old dances, and traditions. You have no idea how sick I was of Irish Stew as a boy."

"Been there."

"Yeah, but you should hear some of the stories my father used to tell me! One of my great to the thousandth power uncles supposedly helped defeat a dark sorceress and saved the world. There was a lot more, but I wouldn't want to bore you with the details."

"Oh, not at all, I love old stories. You know, I went to Ireland when I was sixteen. I heard a lot of stories there. They were so vivid, it was almost like I'd lived them myself."

"Really? Well why don't I take you to coffee and we can exchange some of them."

"Sounds good. How about that place across the street? I hear they have bread with honey by the slice…."

Cassie, Abbe, Jaz, Ashley, and Cassie's husband of four years stood together in a circle. Ten years ago this day, a battle had been fought, and cries of victory had rung out across the now silent moor. The four old friends had been drawn here on this particular day, and Gannon Arundel Sheriden. had wanted to see the place where his uncle had made his last stand. He and Cassie had met on a crosswalk five years ago when had knocked into her, and sent all of her books flying from her arms. Once they were safely on the sidewalk, they conversation above had taken place, and it had all progressed from there. The moment she had learned his middle name, and guessed the meaning of his last, she had known that fate had brought them together.

Ashley stood, holding Jaz's hand. They both looked down at the ground that had been stained with blood not all that long ago. Their relationship had been the ideal, but they had gone their separate ways after high school. They had however, mysteriously met when both were coincidentally on a business trip in Kansas. They were married with two children. Jasper and Guinievere. Abbe, after a moment's quiet reflection she bent down to retrieve a grass blade, and began to whistle with it. Unbelievably, she was Miltonboro's most eligible bachelorette, and she had at least twenty men in her little black book.

The wind blew, and with it, it seemed voices could be heard. _"Your destiny…..Our days are numbered lass….That cloud looks sorta like a llama…..Remember Everything."_ Cassie knelt on the ground, and touched the spot where her first love had fallen. Time had closed her wounds, but a piece of her heart would always lie upon this ground. But she was luckier than most. She still had that first love. She felt the comforting weight of his coat of arms inside her shirstsleeve, and was cheered. He lived after all. He lived in her husband, who's resemblance to the man was shocking, and he lived in their oldest son, Saber.


End file.
